The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) is set to open its new $724 million David Geffen Galleries, designed by Swiss architect Peter Zumthor. The building features a radical, non-linear layout that eschews traditional chronological and geographical hierarchies, allowing artworks from 15 different curatorial departments to be displayed in conversation with one of another. Despite years of controversy regarding its concrete design and a 10 percent reduction in exhibition space, the museum is positioning the new structure as a flexible "laboratory" for global art history.
This opening marks a significant shift in museology, moving away from Eurocentric narratives toward a pluralistic approach where diverse cultures are given equal footing. By removing permanent departmental wings and utilizing a single-level, open-flow design, LACMA is challenging the standard museum model. The project’s success or failure will likely influence how other major encyclopedic institutions rethink their own collections and architectural footprints in the 21st century.