<LACMA, Lucas Museum, Dataland… Los Angeles engaged in a crazy race for culture — Art News
arrow_back Back to all stories
museum exhibitions calendar_today Saturday, April 4, 2026

LACMA, Lucas Museum, Dataland… Los Angeles engaged in a crazy race for culture

LACMA, Lucas Museum, Dataland… Los Angeles engagée dans une folle course à la culture

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) has opened its new David Geffen Galleries building, a massive, controversial structure designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Peter Zumthor. The $835 million project, funded in part by philanthropist David Geffen, spans Wilshire Boulevard and replaces four older modernist pavilions, sparking a decade-long debate over its design, cost, and the loss of the previous buildings.

The opening signals a transformative moment for Los Angeles's cultural landscape, coinciding with other major museum projects like the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art and Dataland. Under director Michael Govan, LACMA is breaking from traditional encyclopedic display, organizing its inaugural installation around oceanic regions to emphasize global connections and migration, reflecting the city's diverse identity. This wave of institutional expansion aims to solidify LA's status as a leading global art capital, rivaling New York.