This city was named after its founder, Harry Culver. It is mostly surrounded by the city of Los Angeles, but also shares a border with unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County. The city is surrounded by the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Mar Vista and Palms to the north; Westchester to the south; Mid-City and West Adams to the east; the Baldwin Hills and Ladera Heights unincorporated areas to the southeast; and the L.A. neighborhoods of Venice and Playa Vista to the west, along with the unincorporated area of Marina Del Rey.

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Since the 1920s, Culver City has been a center for motion picture and later television production, best known as the home of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios. Hundreds of movies have been produced on the lots of Culver City’s studios: Sony Pictures Studios (originally MGM Studios), Culver Studios, and the former Hal Roach Studios. Culver City’s streets have been featured in many films and television series. Since much of the architecture has not changed in decades, particularly in residential areas of town, the nostalgic sitcom The Wonder Years set many of its outdoor scenes in the neighborhoods of Culver City. Culver City's reputation as a pedestrian friendly destination with upscale restaurants and thriving art scene make it a lively place to live.