The New Academy Museum In LA

In the Miracle Mile section of Los Angeles there are now five museums on Wilshire Boulevard between Fairfax Avenue and La Brea Avenue. Before September, there were four major Los Angeles museums: L.A. County Museum of Art, La Brea Tar Pits and Museum, Craft Contemporary Museum, and The Petersen Auto Museum. Now the Academy Museum finally opened it’s doors. The iconic building was a department store, May Company, built in 1939 by the same architect who designed the Los Angeles City Hall.

Fanny’s Bar and Lounge

“It took a little over seven years,” said Chief Executive of Wolfgang Puck Catering, Carl Schuster while standing inside Fanny’s, the Academy Museum’s restaurant and cafe. Named after legendary vaudeville and film star, Fanny Brice, guests walk up to the clear glass display cases to select prepared sandwiches, salads and pastries, as well as made to order culinary items. Well trained staff escort guest to seating in the sophisticated dining room, offering semi-circular booths, reminiscent of Hollywood’s iconic Brown Derby, as well as, tables for two or more people. Designated dining areas can become semi-private for intimate gatherings, and the Art Deco bar and lounge area is an ideal spot for a beverage before or after touring the museum.

Artist Konstantin Kakanias

Los Angeles artist Konstantin Kakanias created a wraparound mural in soft colors for the main dining room at Fanny’s. This art piece celebrates film and music legends from classic Hollywood to present day. Soon elegant dinner service will begin in the evening with more formal service.

After a bite to eat and something lovely to drink, enter the Spielberg Family Gallery and Academy Museum Store off the lobby before taking an elevator or escalator up to various enlightening exhibits.

Ruby Slippers

Stories of Cinema is three floors of costumes, memorabilia, and Academy Award narrative and documentary films, both animated and live-action, as well as the arts and sciences of moviemaking.

Here your will see Dorothy’s Ruby Slippers and the Tin Man’s Tin Can from The Wizard of Oz (1939). Citizen Kane’s Rosebud sled is on display and learn about the actors and directors, as well as those behind the camera.

Rosebud sled

Also on floor two visit the exhibit Backdrop: An Invisible Art spotlighting a monumental backdrop of the iconic Mt. Rushmore from Hitchcock’s North by Northwest

Photo by Jill Weinlein

Star Wars, E.T. and other memorable characters are creatures are displayed on the third floor. There is an exhibit of famous costumes and stories behind each one made for the actors and actresses wearing them.

Photo by Jill Weinlein

One of the most popular exhibits is the Hayao Miyazaki. It marks the first North American museum dedicated to the work of the Academy Award winning internationally celebrated artist and filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki.

Hayat Miyazaki exhibit

The Hayao Miyazaki exhibit on the fourth floor features more than 300 objects, including original image and storyboards, character designs, layouts, backgrounds, and posters from Japan’s Studio Ghibli’s archives, which Miyazaki co-founded in 1985. Some of the pieces on public are the first to be viewed outside of Japan.

Also on this floor is a smaller exhibit The Pixar Toy Story 3D Zoetrope featuring 214 maquettes that bring so many of the beloved Toy Story characters to life.

The Academy Experience