Los Angeles' newest museum honors the magic of cinema

In Los Angeles, working in entertainment is so common that people often refer to their jobs simply as working "in the industry."

Now, the city will have a museum dedicated to its most famous contribution – the movies.

The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures is set to open in the summer of 2019 in the heart of L.A.'s Mid-City area. The Academy, of course, is the prestigious organization behind the Oscars.

Designed by renowned Italian architect Renzo Piano, who also created the new Whitney Museum in New York City, this 300,000-square-foot museum will feature some of the most iconic props, costumes, and memorabilia from the world of film.

The collection includes items such as the typewriter used by Joseph Stefano to write the screenplay for Alfred Hitchcock’s “Psycho” and a pair of tap shoes worn by Shirley Temple in her film “The Little Colonel.”

The museum project involves renovating an existing structure, the historic Saban Building on Wilshire Boulevard, along with constructing two new additions: the Dolby Family Terrace (featured in the rendering above) and the David Geffen Theatre, which will have a seating capacity of 1,000.

In addition, the museum will feature interactive exhibits, a rooftop terrace, an outdoor piazza, and at least one restaurant (though the name and chef have yet to be revealed).

Given that this is Hollywood, it’s no surprise that some major A-list stars are involved in the project. The museum’s fundraising campaign chairs include Tom Hanks, Annette Bening, and Disney CEO Bob Iger.

Beyond being a museum in Los Angeles, the Academy Museum aspires to be a museum *of* Los Angeles.

While two floors of the museum will showcase the permanent collection, the rest of the space will be dedicated to rotating exhibitions and will also host lectures, screenings, and other events aimed at the film community.

The museum’s mission is threefold: "to convey the emotional and imaginative power of film, to provide an inside look at the filmmaking process, and to examine how movies have shaped our society and culture."

While it's tempting to focus on Hollywood's golden age, the project’s architect emphasizes that the museum is not just about the industry’s past successes, but also its future innovations.

"The Academy Museum allows us to celebrate the past while constructing a space for the future," Piano remarked in a statement. "In fact, a space for countless futures."