The history of moviemaking finally has a home in Los Angeles, thanks to the 2021 arrival of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures. Located next to LACMA in the Wilshire May Company building and in a new and expanded space designed by Pritzker Prize–winning architect Renzo Piano, the museum features four full floors of gallery space, two theaters (including a 1,000-seat space in that giant glassy sphere) a restaurant, Fanny’s, and a gift shop.
RECOMMENDED: Check out our full guide to the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures.
The Academy Museum’s collection includes the sorts of cinematic treasures you’d expect from the people who put on the Oscars: During a visit you might see the Rosebud sled from Citizen Kane, Dorothy’s ruby red slippers, R2-D2 and C-3PO, the Dude’s robe from The Big Lebowski, the sole surviving shark from Jaws and the flowery May Queen dress from Midsommar, among many other treasures. You’ll also find a revolving set of galleries dedicated to specific creators and industry crafts, plus excellent special exhibitions that are swapped out at least once a year.
Timed reservations are encouraged (but not required) and available via the museum’s website. Tickets (which include admission to all exhibitions) cost $25 for adults, $19 for seniors (62 and up), $15 for students, and are free for visitors 17 and younger and CA residents with an EBT card. An immersive installation dubbed the Oscars Experience, where you can hold a real Oscar and practice your acceptance speech, costs an additional $10. Screenings of new and recent classic films—the programming often complements the special exhibitions—in the museum’s two state-of-the-art theaters are a bargain at only $10, and stars or filmmakers are often known to stop by. Outdoor public areas and the lobby (which includes the small Spielberg Family Gallery) are free to access.
