LACMA has opened its new David Geffen Galleries, a single-story building spanning Wilshire Boulevard that houses the museum's permanent collection spanning 6,000 years of art. The galleries feature a revolutionary curatorial approach organized around bodies of water—Atlantic, Mediterranean, Indian, and Pacific—creating nonhierarchical displays that mix works across time and geography, such as 17th-century Dutch paintings alongside 20th-century photography. The building also includes 3.5 acres of shaded public space below, outdoor sculptures by artists like Alexander Calder and Jeff Koons, and a 220,000-square-foot pavement artwork by Mariana Castillo Deball.
This opening matters because it represents a major transformation of one of the largest art museums in the western United States, reimagining how a permanent collection can be presented to the public. The Geffen Galleries' inclusive, non-linear approach to art history challenges traditional museum hierarchies and reflects Los Angeles's diverse identity. The project also demonstrates significant philanthropic investment in cultural infrastructure, with the building named after entertainment mogul David Geffen, and sets a new standard for museum architecture that integrates indoor and outdoor spaces.