LACMA Makeover

Michael Govan, CEO and Wallis Annenberg Director smiles with architect Peter Zumthor during the opening ceremonies of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, speaks at the podium during the inaugural opening of the David Geffen Galleries on Wednesday, April 15, 2026.

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The Los Angeles County Museum of Art's new central building is a 'machine of discovery'

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art's new central building is a 'machine of discovery'

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art has completed renovations two decades in the making with a new home for its permanent collection that opens to the public May 4. The new building is all on a single floor that sits above the grounds and spans Wilshire Boulevard. The $720 million structure designed by Swiss architect Peter Zumthor is intended to allow visitors to wander into things they didn't necessarily intend to see. Museum director Michael Govan calls it a “machine of discovery.” The building's galleries are loosely grouped by oceans of the world, with all the free flow of goods and culture that implies.