Academy Museum of Motion Pictures

The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures is the film museum of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the organisation behind the Oscars. It opened to the public in September 2021 on Wilshire Boulevard in the Miracle Mile, combining the restored 1939 May Company department store, now called the Saban Building, with a new spherical structure designed by Renzo Piano. The sphere contains the David Geffen Theater and the glass-domed Dolby Family Terrace.

The galleries explore the history, craft and impact of filmmaking through costumes, props, scripts, cameras and immersive installations, with a mix of long-running and changing exhibitions. The Oscars Experience, a separately ticketed simulation of walking on stage to accept an Academy Award, is popular with visitors who want a souvenir photo. Film screenings in the theatres do not require a museum ticket and are priced separately.

Advance reservations are encouraged, especially at weekends. Children aged 17 and under go free, and reduced rates apply for later entry in the afternoon. The museum is closed on Tuesdays and open from 10am to 6pm on the other six days, and Fanny's, the restaurant and café on site, is a convenient place for lunch.

This is a natural choice for film fans and families with older children, and it also works well on a hot afternoon when you want to be indoors. Allow two to three hours to see the main galleries, and more if you catch a screening. Hours are subject to change, so check the museum's closures page before setting out.

Visitors who arrive after 4.30pm pay reduced onsite rates, which can make a short late-afternoon visit good value if you mainly want to see one exhibition. TAP card holders receive a small discount on full-price admission when buying in person at the Winkler Welcome Center, and EBT cardholders are admitted free. Members receive discounts for guests as well as free entry. The Dolby Family Terrace at the top of the sphere is worth seeking out for its views towards the Hollywood Hills, and the museum store is well stocked with film books and gifts. Check the screening calendar too, as the programme of classic and new films in the David Geffen Theater is one of the museum's quieter pleasures.

The museum is directly across the street from LACMA, so combining the two makes a full day on Museum Row. The Original Farmers Market and The Grove are a short drive away, and buses run along Wilshire Boulevard.