New Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in LA
Lovers of cinema and moviemaking can look forward to a new home of cinematic history when the upcoming Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles officially opens on 30 April, 2021. The new facility promises to be the world’s leading institution dedicated to the art and science of movies, highlighting the expertise of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
The building itself on Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, has been designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect, Renzo Piano.
Movie-loving visitors will be able to browse the museum’s six floors that features exhibition spaces, education and special event spaces, a conservation studio, a café, and a museum store. The 1,000-seat David Geffen Theater and 288-seat Ted Mann Theater will present a year-round calendar of screenings, film series, member programs, panel discussions and family programs.
The multi-floor Stories of Cinema exhibition will explore movies, documentaries and animation across multiple eras and genres of film-making. On the second floor, disover the works of Spike Lee, the history of the Academy Awards®; and how movies have impacted social issues.
Click your heels three times and follow the yellow brick road to a gallery devoted to The Wizard of Oz, taking visitors behind the scene to explore the film’s screenwriting, casting, makeup design, costume design, production design, sound design, special effects, acting, directing and producing in depth. You won’t want to miss admiring the bling of the original slippers worn by Judy Garland.
Other permanent collections draw on the Academy’s vast gallery of movie memorabilia and nostalgia, including items of clothing, masks, scripts and other paraphernalia.
I can imagine losing an hour or two (let’s face it, perhaps a whole day!) in this treasure trove of cinematic archives.
* Feature image: Ruby slippers designed by Adrian, from The Wizard of Oz (1939) Photo by Joshua White : JW Pictures : © Academy Museum Foundation
