A Visit to the New Academy Museum of Motion Pictures

To celebrate my recent birthday, I toyed with the idea of a trip to the ski slopes but better sense (and laziness) prevailed—instead, my wife and I visited the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures that opened late last year. It had been on our radar since it opened and I thought my birthday, which fell on an off-day in the middle of the week, would be a great time to visit. I was particularly impressed by how well art and artists were represented, particularly animation, character and costume design, and storyboard art.

The museum is located on L.A.’s “Museum Row” on property that’s contiguous with the Los Angeles County Museum of Art next door (which itself is undergoing major reconstruction from the ground up) and directly across the street from the Peterson Automotive Museum, which I visited and posted about in December. (The famous La Brea Tar Pits, which also has its own museum, sits on the other side of the county museum.) The Academy Museum itself occupies the former space of a prominent L.A. landmark, a May Company department store that was built in the 1930s, which was designated a historic landmark for its legacy and modern deco architectural design. Although the building has been completely overhauled, the museum kept the original distinctive street-facing facade. (The store closed in 1992 and I’m certain I visited that store at least once in the ‘80s.)

Otherwise, the building’s interior has been completely renovated, comprised of six stories of loft and exhibition spaces, as well as a 1000–seat theater and gala space, including an open air rooftop deck. And befitting a museum devoted to motion pictures, the Hollywood sign is visible from the building, as you can see in one of the pictures in the photogallery. (Fortunately, it was a beautiful clear day when we visited!)

The exhibitions were varied, encompassing classic, modern and international cinema, as well as the artistry and technology of the film industry. Reflecting the current climate, there also was an emphasis on diversity, equity and inclusion, such as the contributions of women and people of color, as well as the lack thereof throughout Hollywood's history. Spike Lee and Pedro Almodovar were among the filmmakers showcased during my visit, as were many of the artists and early technological innovators of the industry. There also was an exhibit featuring the technological precursors of film, such as magic lanterns and flip books dating to the 18th and 19th centuries, and the work of Georges Méliès, the French illusionist and filmmaker who is considered the first film director, famous for films like A Trip to the Moon. The exhibits were multimedia, with many exhibit spaces and rooms full of multiple large flat screens showcasing highlights from numerous films and filmmakers. 

(I should add that Spike Lee's exhibit showed what a true movie fan he is. The exhibit featured many movie posters from his collection that were influences, often inscribed to Lee by the actors and directors, such as Sidney Poitier and Paul Newman.)

And, of course, many familiar and classic film artifacts and costumes were also on display, such as miniatures and space suits from Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey: Judy Garland’s ruby slippers from the Wizard of Oz; life masks of actors Grace Kelly, Clark Gable, Mel Brooks, Don Cheadle, and Eddie Murphy (used for pre-production hair design and fittings); the notorious Rosebud sled from Citizen Kane; and costumes and clothes, including the dude’s robe from the Big Lebowski (worn by actor Jeff Bridges) and Brad Pitt’s iconic outfit from Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.

As someone involved in comics and cartooning, I was particularly impressed by the focus on art and artists. One of the exhibitions, among the first announced more than a year before the museum opened, was devoted to influential Japanese animator, director, producer, screenwriter, author, and manga artist Hayao Miyazaki, responsible for beloved and respected animated films like Castle in the Sky (1986), My Neighbor Totoro (1988), Kiki's Delivery Service (1989), Ponyo, and many more. Concept art, storyboards, manga pages, and more were part of the exhibit (however, no photography or video was allowed at this specific exhibit whatsoever!).

In addition to an exhibit devoted to the art of matte painting, storyboard art was prominently featured throughout the museum, such as the storyboards from the shower scene from Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho.

Another exhibit was devoted to animation—the animator’s desk that belonged to Frank Thomas—one of Disney’s “Nine Old Men”—was a prominent display at the exhibit (which seemed partially curated by Pixar director Richard Docter—a fan letter he wrote to Thomas as a teen was on display as well). Diverse animated movies and shorts were represented, ranging from Wallace and Gromit to Bugs Bunny.

The history of the Academy Awards was featured—one room provided a timeline of the ceremonies by year (along with a list of the nominees and winners), with clips of memorable award acceptance speeches continuously being shown. There also was a room devoted to displaying quite a number of Oscar statuettes, both on loan and from the Academy's collection. Included in the collection was the first one ever given for best picture and Clark Gable’s Best Actor Award for It Happened One Night.

The Museum includes on site an elegant and upscale bistro/café  (named Fanny’s, after Fanny Brice) and a museum store with additional “pop up” stores inside—such as a “Spike’s Joint” store with paraphernalia from his films and a pop up for Amoeba Records, a well known California boutique music store chain, which featured vinyl pressings of movie scores, like Star Wars scores from Japan and scores from a variety of films like Singin’ in the Rain, the Hateful Eight, West Side Story, and Psycho.

By the way, an opportunity at the museum (for an extra fee) includes “The Oscar Experience,” which offers visitors the opportunity to hear their name announced and to “accept” an award at a simulated Oscars Show at the Dolby Theatre (where the award show is now held) that is recorded for you! I have no interest in such a souvenir, though I joked with my wife that we should sign up for it and show up at the museum in a tux and evening wear lol.

Anyway, this is just a taste of what I saw at the museum—as a movie fan (who happens to live in property that used to be part of the old MGM lot, which is now Sony Studios and up the road from me!), it was a treat to finally visit.

Below are additional photos from the visit...click here to see the full photogallery.