The public will be able to explore features of the new David Geffen Galleries at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art this summer, ahead of the museum’s major expansion in April 2026, officials said Tuesday.
Major construction of the building, which will house LACMA’s permanent collection, was completed at the end of 2024, and LACMA has begun to move in key operating functions.
“While this process continues, the building and its surroundings will start to come to life with installations of outdoor sculpture, the openings of dining and retail spaces, and special preview events,” officials said.
The building, which was designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Peter Zumthor, straddles Wilshire Boulevard, with floating staircases and elevators allowing access to the exhibition space from both sides of the street. It was named in recognition of a $150 million donation by music mogul David Geffen. Los Angeles County also contributed $125 million.
This summer, the public will begin to see the plaza level north of Wilshire. Subsequently, the museum will open amenities including Ray’s and Stark Bar, which will reopen in a new space.
In June, special groups including LACMA donors and members will be permitted to preview spaces inside the building. Officials will also host musical performances by saxophonist Kamasi Washington on June 26-28, with tickets available this spring.
The process of moving thousands of art works to the new space will begin later this year.
“The Geffen Galleries are both a stunningly beautiful work of architecture and a hub of the dynamic activity across LACMA’s entire campus,” LACMA CEO Michael Govan said. “We’re excited that visitors both near and far can begin to experience the impact of this amazing building this year, as we ramp up toward the 2026 grand opening celebration.”
LACMA is the largest art museum in the western United States, with a collection of more than 150,000 objects, according to museum officials.