Frommer's Review
For more than 50 years the LACMA has been one of the finest art museums in the nation, housing a 110,000-piece collection that includes works by Degas, Rembrandt, Hockney, and Monet. The huge complex -- it's the largest visual arts museum west of Chicago -- was designed by three very different architects over a span of 30 years, and though the architectural fusion can be aesthetically disconcerting, this city landmark is well worth delving into.
The Pavilion for Japanese Art has exterior walls made of Kalwall, a translucent material that, like shoji screens, permits the entry of soft natural light. Inside is a collection of Japanese Edo paintings that's rivaled only by the holdings of the emperor of Japan. The Ahmanson Building houses the rest of the museum's permanent collections -- everything from 2,000-year-old pre-Columbian Mexican ceramics to 19th-century portraiture, to a unique glass collection spanning the centuries. Other displays include one of the nation's largest holdings of costumes and textiles, and an important Indian and Southeast Asian art collection. Free 50-minute guided tours of many of LACMA's special exhibitions are offered weekly -- check the museum's online calendar for times and locations.
Outside of the art collection, LACMA offers a multitude of programs including tours, talks & courses, films, and music. The Education Department offers permanent collection and special exhibition programming throughout the year, which includes exhibition brochures, audio tours, family gallery guides, talks, symposia, art courses for children and adults, documentary film and video series, family programming, and specialized school and community outreach programs. The Film Department celebrates the international art of cinema, past and present, with thematic film series, retrospectives and tributes devoted to the work of the art form's greatest practitioners. LACMA also previews new studio, independent and foreign films. LACMA's Department of Music Programs, six-time national winner of the ASCAP/Chamber Music America Award for Adventurous Programming, annually presents over one hundred concerts featuring leading international and local ensembles in programs that cover classical, jazz, Latin and new music. LACMA's Music Programs include the long-running Sundays Live and Friday Night Jazz, along with new series Latin Sounds and Art & Music.
Note: As of press time the museum was undergoing a major "Transforming LACMA" renovation. Be sure to call or check the museum's website to see where exhibits are currently on display; they may be shown in other galleries of the museum not currently under renovation.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without
notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before
planning your trip.
