Academy Museum of Motion Pictures — Attraction in Los Angeles

The museum was OK, but way too heavy handed with the identity politics. I was hoping to learn more about filmmaking techniques. Instead, this museum was like 80% performative virtue signaling that I imagine will be divisive instead of uniting people from a variety of backgrounds. Anybody who has looked at the news at all in the last 5-7 years will not be learning anything new from the stuff they wasted time and resources on. This didn’t feel like progress. It actually felt like dated information. I am part of the generation of activists who social justice warrior was coined to describe and I am tired of this. Like, I had tumblr in 2009. You are preaching to the choir. I came here to learn something NEW about FILMMAKING. Instead, this museum was obviously pushing an agenda on me from the moment I entered the first exhibit doors. The exhibit about Jews may have been done with some mixed (somewhat impure) intentions or perhaps is a bit misguided. Elements of the exhibit seemed to reinforce the stereotype of Jews as all-powerful and controlling Hollywood. After all the identity politics stuff dividing people up into groups that only focuses on their race/gender as things that matter instead of focusing on artistic merit and innovations in techniques (at a FILMMAKING MUSEUM), then telling everybody it was because of the powerful Jews who founded Hollywood and depicting Jewish people as traitors, you are on some level teaching people to blame Jews for marginalization of other groups and ourselves. The trigger warning on the wall next to the documentary about Jewish film studio founders made me roll my eyes. There was not anything triggering in that documentary. This is not what trigger warnings are for - they are supposed to be for sensitive content that can trigger PTSD, yet there was no trigger warning next to the little Me Too section (which from what I saw didn’t even mention Harvey Weinstein). I would urge this museum to remove the identity politics focus and focus on filmmaking. Diversity that comes from a genuine place is more seamlessly integrated. The focus of a filmmaking museum is not supposed to be on marginalization, but on films. Marginalized people such as myself are TIRED OF BEING DEFINED by our experience of oppression. Instead, be inclusive, create a space where people are treated equally, platform diverse filmmakers and focus on their accomplishments, artistic merit or innovative contributions to the field.

In recent months, I had tickets to come here on Free Museum Day and they oversold the free tickets pretty severely. There were hundreds of people lined up around the block and we never would have gotten inside in time to see the screening we had tickets for. They clearly needed to cap the ticket purchases but for some reason didn’t, so my first impression of the museum was...

We have wanted to visit this museum since it opened. It did NOT disappoint! We took my sisters, and since they live in LA, we purchased an annual membership for them so they could keep coming back. We, like them, didn’t see it all, and we’ll come back with them when we return in the summer or at Christmas 2023.

We chose to valet park. It was $15 with museum validation. It was right there and competitively priced for convenience. Our reserved time was 10AM (12/27/22), and that’s when the doors opened. We were welcomed by Quinn, who gave us our wristband when we gave him our QR code. Before going upstairs, Blake took our photo by the life size Oscar by the front doors. Both Blake & Quinn were friendly and memorable!

The museum has 5 floors. We started on the 2nd floor, for SIGNIFICANT MOVIES & MOVIEMAKERS and Backdrop. In the Stories of Cinema, the stories were immense and fascinating: from Citizen Kane to Bruce Lee. In the OSCARS area, we stroll around a small room with Oscars to a larger room with Academy Award winners’ speeches, clothes they wore, and trivia. For significant contributors, we visited one woman’s contributions (Agnes Varda) to the impact of the Godfather. Backdrop was next door, & housed a Mt. Rushmore backdrop used in Hitchcock s North by Northwest. It was HUGE.

On the 3rd floor, we walked by Bruce the Shark in Jaws to Backdrop, again. This time it was a view above the Mt. Rushmore backdrop, with a clip on the side wall playing from the movie, showing how it was used. To the right of this room was an exhibit of THE PATH TO CINEMA - ways we viewed pictures on a big screen, ways pictures were made 3D, and ways pictures came to life without electricity or cameras. We did not pay extra for THE OSCAR EXPERIENCE on this floor. We bypassed the Pedro Almodóvar exhibit. Some things for next time!

On the fourth floor we explored REGENERATION: BLACK CINEMA. There was so much to see, read, watch and listen to. There were comfortable areas to sit and enjoy the exhibits while resting. So much to learn!

On the 5th floor, we walked over the Barbra Streisand Bridge to the Dolby Family Terrace. Here was a great view of the streets below and LACMA (Los Angeles County Museum of Art). Tables and chairs were scattered about.

Everyone here was friendly and knowledgeable. Every room has someone in it to answer questions as well as oversee visitors. We used the bathrooms which were clean and bright and well stocked. I liked the door signage & took a picture.

We only had 2 hours to explore before lunch, and even though we saw a lot, we didn’t see it all. We want to return, to see what we missed and whatever traveling exhibit takes up...

Pleasant sensory overload is the best way to describe the museum. It is an interactive experience that showcases many of the elements of film.

For someone of my age group who saw the films featured when they were released, it was like walking through history - Wizard of Oz, North By Northwest, Bruce Lee, Citizen Cane, a room dedicated to the actors and actresses with film clips of key wins of Academy Awards, a fantastic room dedicated to costumes and makeup (Eddie Murphy's masks and makeup from "Dolamite" on display now). There are props from 2001, E.T., Star Wars, Terminator, Batman, "Nosferatu" and more. You will view film posters, props, cells from early animation days, resin models of characters from animated features such as "Up", "Snow White" and "Sleeping Beauty".

There are rooms dedicated to illusion, foreign films, how film has influenced or reflected pop culture. The diversity of the industry is on display here - contributions and films are featured to show the beauty of different cultures and lifestyles.

My husband and I tried The Oscar Experience on our first visit. It takes a total of 5-10 minutes, they email you the video shortly after it is done. I was surprised that they will not allow you take off your mask for this. For whatever reason they lost my husband's video, but they allowed him a "Take 2" on our next visit at no charge. We both got good chuckle from our videos.

Take the time to visit the Barbara Streisand Bridge leading to the dome on top floor. After you have taken your photos of the view, sit down and take it all in. There is plenty of seating that has been socially distanced.

To visit you must make timed reservation, but I believe that at certain times of day and week, you may visit as walk-in. Check their website before you show up. Proof of vaccination is required, and you must wear mask when you are inside the museum.

Parking in this area is limited. You can park on streets surrounding the museum, but you may have to walk short distance. Valet parking is available (Debit or credit cards only) for $12 for 90-120 minutes, and increases every 15 minutes. You can get validation from Fanny's and pay $12.42 (there is some kind of tax or fee added to flat rate) On our second visit the valet lot was full by time we left, they had to turn away several cars of people.

For any film lover, this place is a must. We are looking forward to participating in film series in the...