LOS ANGELES — In a feature at the 92nd Academy
Awards ceremony,
Tom Hanks announced to the audience in the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles and to millions of broadcast viewers around the world, that the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures will open to the public on Monday,
December 14, 2020.
Tom Hanks made the announcement in his capacity as museum trustee and co-chair of the Academy Museum campaign, along with co-chair Annette Bening and chair Bob Iger.
Academy Museum Director Bill Kramer said, “We cannot wait to welcome the whole world to the Academy Museum. When our doors open on December 14, our thrilling combination of exhibitions, screenings, and public and educational programs will create unparalleled experiences for movie lovers everywhere.”
Academy CEO Dawn Hudson said, “The dream of this museum will finally become a reality — a gathering place for filmmakers and movie fans from around the world, where we can share the Oscars legacy and further fulfill the Academy’s mission to connect the world through cinema.”
Commenting on this evening’s announcement, Ron Meyer, chair of the Academy Museum Board of Trustees and Vice Chairman of NBCUniversal, said, “This is a museum that only the Academy could create: exciting and illuminating; historic and contemporary. We look forward to sharing the global reach of cinema.”
Details will continue to unfold as the Museum gets closer to opening. Major construction has been completed on the Academy Museum’s already iconic building, designed by world-renowned architect Renzo Piano and located on Los Angeles’s Miracle Mile. The Academy Museum recently announced that it has reached the 95% mark in its $388 million pre-opening campaign, and installation of four floors of immersive, innovative exhibitions is now beginning.
The Academy Museum will be the world’s premier institution dedicated to the art and science of movies. Located on Wilshire and Fairfax in Los Angeles, the Museum will be simultaneously immersive, experimental, educational, and entertaining. More than a museum, this dynamic film center will offer unparalleled experiences and insights into movies and moviemaking. Designed by Pritzker Prize–winning architect Renzo Piano, the Museum is restoring and revitalizing the historic Saban Building—formerly known as the May Company building (1939)—at the corner of Wilshire Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue. The Saban Building will feature six floors, including exhibition spaces, the 288-seat Ted Mann Theater, the Shirley Temple Education Studio, special event spaces, conservation areas, a café, and store. The new spherical addition will connect to the Saban Building via glass bridges and will feature the state-of-the-art 1,000-seat David Geffen Theater and the rooftop Dolby Family Terrace with its sweeping views of the Hollywood Hills.