A Visit to the Academy Museum
One thing I love more than writing is movies. When I heard Los Angeles was finally going to have its very own Academy Museum on Wilshire Blvd, it was a no-brainer for me to visit! The museum took years to complete but finally opened in September 2021.
My friend Jenny and I have been itching to go since it opened but alas, we were unable to purchase tickets until December for February. In other words, it took me MONTHS to get tickets.
That being said, I’m going to be sharing with you a few items the museum has that I thought was pretty cool. Keep reading below to learn more about my visit!
A backdrop from “North by Northwest”
Here’s the thing; I’ve never watched Hitchcock’s North by Northwest. I was nonetheless impressed by this backdrop. Up close it looks fake. If you look up stills from the movie, however, you can see that by using black and white film and other techniques, it makes the backdrop look like the real deal!
Rosebud from “Citizen Kane”
Yes guys, this is the sled, named rosebud, from the iconic 1941 film Citizen Kane. According to TimeOut, three sleds were made for the film but only one survived. How did it get to the museum? It was donated by owner Steven Spielberg, who bought the sled at an auction.
Real Academy Awards
This is probably as close as I’ll get to touching an Oscar and that’s ok! The awards look much heavier than I imagined and have an ethereal quality to them. One Academy Award that stood out to me was for Shrek. Symbolically, there was also an empty case for Hattie McDaniel. She was the first African American to win an Oscar for her role in Gone With the Wind. Her statue, however, went missing decades ago.
Dresses, outfits & Costumes
The Academy Museum had several garments and costumes related to the film industry. The pink dress above was worn by actress Laura Dern at the 2020 Oscars. Other notable items included Judy Garland’s Dorothy dress from The Wizard of Oz, the flower dress from “Midsommar” and so much more.
Film history
I lack the adequate knowledge to explain what the photo above is but essentially, it’s something referred to as a magic lantern. Using an early projection device, it displayed drawn images. The Academy Museum has a massive collection of pre-film historical items that made my heart swoon.
Final thoughts:
The museum was much smaller than I thought it would be as the website make it seem a lot larger than it actually is. Nonetheless, Jenny and I spent two hours checking out all the exhibits and I had an amazing time. I’m sure this is just the beginning; the museum is after all, only a few months old.
Know before you go:
The Academy Museum is located at 6067 Wilshire Blvd, next to LACMA.
Tickets are $25 for adults and must be purchased online in advance
Proof of vaccination and ID are required to visit
The museum is open from 10 am to 6 pm Sunday-Tuesday and 10 am to 4 pm Wednesday-Saturday
Parking is available for $18 at 6000 W 6th St, Los Angeles, CA 90036 (LACMA’s parking garage)
Photography is allowed EXCEPT for the Hayao Miyazaki exhibit (photography was strictly prohibited)
