5886 Wilshire Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90036 | map |
Opening: The Steve Tisch Theatre opens in April 2026 along with the rest of the new building. The new 900 foot long structure sprawls across Wilshire, with entrances on either side of the street. We're at the top of the stairs on the north side of Wilshire, looking across to the south end of the building. The theatre is on the ground floor on that side along with a wine bar, cafe, museum ticketing, stairs and elevators. Photo: Bill Counter - June 2025
LACMA held previews of the 2nd floor gallery areas for members in late June and early July 2025, before any art was installed. The 1st floor theatre, store, and restaurant spaces weren't open for those events. The Tisch is intended to be a replacement for the museum's Bing Theatre, demolished in 2020.
The building is called the David Geffen Galleries, with all the actual gallery space on the 2nd floor. The Elaine Wynn Wing north of Wilshire will have new locations on the ground floor in the building's support pylons for Ray's Restaurant and Stark Bar as well as an additional new cafe. The south wing is not yet named.
Website: www.lacma.org | Film at LACMA. Until the Tisch opens they're doing lots of online screenings for members as well as occasionally promoting screenings at the Academy Museum and other venues.
Seating: About 300.
The rendering is one of several from Atelier Peter Zumthor that made an appearance in "More progress for LACMA's David Geffen Galleries," Steven Sharp's April 2024 article for Urbanize. Some of his comments:
"The project, which began work in 2020, was the subject of contention at the time due to a decision by museum leadership to replace the museum's original buildings designed by William Pereira. In their place stands a new two-story structure which bridges across Wilshire Boulevard and will feature gallery space, a new theater, classrooms, restaurant space, a shop, event space, and other back-of house functions. Peter Zumthor designed the building with an amorphous footprint, with a largely concrete exterior and glass wrapping the upper gallery. The museum intends to use this space to display works such as sculptures, tiles, and ceramics which can be shown safely in natural light.
"The David Geffen Galleries, consisting of 350,000 square feet of total space and 110,000 square feet of gallery space, will actually be smaller than the buildings they replaced, which accounted for roughly 393,000 square feet of total floor area - including 120,000 square feet of galleries. LACMA has argued that the difference is accounted for by the relocation of art storage and office space to off-site locations. Likewise, the museum has pointed out that the museum's overall footprint will be 220,000 square feet after completion of the new project - up from 130,000 square feet in 2007."
"David Geffen Galleries Construction Enters Final Phase, April 2026 Opening Planned" was an October 2024 construction update on the "LACMA Unframed" site. In "LACMA announces opening date in 2026 as scaffolding comes down on Wilshire Blvd.," an October 25, 2024 L.A. Times article by Jessica Gelt, she comments:
"The
portion of the building that perches on the south side of Wilshire,
where a surface parking lot once stood, will include a cafe that will
look out on the street, as well as a 300-seat theater housed in one of
seven 30-foot-tall ground-level pavilions holding the museum’s
exhibition floor aloft. Other pavilion bases will hold a restaurant, the
LACMA store and the W.M. Keck Education Center..."
On March 11, 2025 LACMA director Michael Govan offered "LACMA Announces 2025 Plans Toward 2026 Grand Public Opening" on the "Unframed" site. Some of the comments:
"Our donors and members are the bedrock of everything LACMA does, including wide-ranging exhibitions and meaningful public programs that millions of visitors will experience in the new Geffen Galleries. Beginning in June, we plan to offer LACMA donors and members an exclusive opportunity to preview the dramatic spaces inside the building in its raw form, before art is installed. We’ll share more details in the coming months as plans for previews solidify.
"... Anchoring the plaza-level of the building, a state-of-the-art theater, located south of Wilshire Boulevard, will be the new home for LACMA’s robust schedule of film screenings, lectures, discussions, musical performances, and other public programs. Named the Steve Tisch Theater in recognition of LACMA trustee Steve Tisch’s gift to the campaign, it will function as a gallery during the day, showcasing time-based media works."
June 2025 - The south stairs. Photo: Bill Counter
More Information: There isn't any yet.
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No renderings of the new theatre space anywhere? That seems odd, doesn't it?
ReplyDeleteObviously the theatre isn't a priority for them. I've not seen many renderings of interior spaces, period. And no floorplans so far. But the search is just beginning. I just wanted to get a page started for this baby so we can look at things as they emerge. Let me know if you come across anything of interest!
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