Shana Nys Dambrot
We spent all of last year wondering why museums were closed when it seemed like every other random thing was open, and their absence has indeed made our art-loving hearts grow fonder. The good news is that over the past couple of weeks we have witnessed their return, and with every passing day, more cultural doors are opening. The exhibition programs are pretty evenly split between new and new-to-you content, with many shows that opened just as we went into lockdown — or even opened optimistically during those dark times — being extended into summer and even autumn. That’s along with a good many fresh shows conceived in response to the political, social and environmental events that made 2020 so absolutely extra.
Below is a list of area cultural institutions, starting with the ones that are already welcoming visitors again, followed by a schedule of upcoming re-openings. We’ll update it frequently with evolving dates and more venues, so check back often. And don’t forget, almost all of them require reserved timed tickets, even the ones that are free, in order to preserve capacity caps and movement flow, so plan ahead.
Installation view of Cauleen Smith: Give It or Leave It, at LACMA
Open Now:
LACMA [On View: Cauleen Smith | Yoshitomo Nara]
The Wende Museum [On View: TRANSFORMATIONS: Living Room → Flea Market → Museum → Art]
El Segundo Museum Of Art [On View: Cole Sternberg: The Free Republic of California]
Skirball [On View: Ai Weiwei: TRACES]
Hammer & Huntington (Sharing the Made in L.A. biennial: huntington.org/made-in-la-2020 | hammer.ucla.edu/made-la-2020)
UC Riverside/CA Museum of Photography
MOCA — now open for members; June 3 for everyone
Ai Weiwei: Trace. Installation view at the Skirball
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