Many of you may have heard of the famous Los Angeles County Museum of Art, which is more commonly referred to as LACMA. For those who don’t know what LACMA is, it is the largest encyclopedic art museum in the western United States. LACMA’s overall collection holds over 155,000 pieces spanning over 6,000 years of history. They constantly rotate exhibits and also have a few permanent collections.

Earlier this year in April LACMA even expanded further. LACMA recently opened a new building to the public, expanding their already large museum. According to Laist, LACMA is currently previewing over 720 million dollar galleries. These galleries have been planned for 20 years and have taken over 6 years to build. 

LACMA is also more than just art. It is not just a museum; it is a full experience. At LACMA they offer places to sit by the fountain and color, a large gift shop which sells collaborations with major brands. On the LACMA property they also have a miniature cafe version of the grocery store, Erewhon, that serves food and their signature drinks. It is located on Wilshire Blvd in Miracle Mile. On weekdays after 3:00pm Los Angeles County residents are able to explore any of the galleries they are offering free of charge. 

Although during the day time on Wednesdays LACMA is not open, every so often on Wednesday nights the museum offers an experience called Night Out at LACMA. It is welcome to all ages, and free to attend, but it is required to RSVP on their website for the event beforehand. According to their website, many new exhibits will be featured at Fall LACMA night outs.

I was given the opportunity to go and visit LACMA’s Modern Art galleries on the 3rd floor of the BCAM building. Some well known artists featured in this exhibit are David Hockney, Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, and Andy Warhol. A piece that really stood out was Henri Matisse’s 1919 painting called Tea. The painting features two women sitting for tea in mint green chairs, accompanied by a dog. The piece has bright pastel colors and sharp but gentle lines.

While being a world class museum, LACMA is definitely not perfect and has received much controversy. The New Yorker even describes LACMA’s style as a “spontaneously blooming rocker, and a streetlamp or two, a monument to culture in the midst of a future wasteland.” Many people have also criticized the functionality of the museum and whether or not it is organized properly. 

All in all, LACMA is definitely an interesting experience to check out in LA. There is so much to see and do there. The museum is not perfect, but it is definitely worth a visit so you can judge for yourself.