LACMA David Geffen Galleries Review: How Peter Zumthor’s Architecture Reshapes Art History Through Nonlinear Narrative
On April 19, 2026, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA)’s David Geffen Galleries officially opened to members, with public access beginning May 4. This landmark building, designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Peter Zumthor, represents the pinnacle of LACMA’s 25-year campus transformation and a bold experiment in contemporary museology. Spanning 110,000 square feet of gallery space, it shatters traditional linear art-history narratives, inviting visitors to cross cultural, temporal, and geographical boundaries in a free-flowing, conversational exploration of art.
LACMA’s transformation began when Director and CEO Michael Govan took the helm in 2006, with the goal of creating an institution “unlike any other museum in the world.” The earlier Renzo Piano-designed western campus buildings opened 15 years ago, adding roughly 100,000 square feet of exhibition space. The eastern campus rebuild, however, was the true test: collaboration with Zumthor began in 2009, the design underwent multiple revisions due to environmental reviews, and the final $724 million project (including $125 million from Los Angeles County) faced constant controversy. Early critics compared the initial concept to an “airport hangar” and even formed the “Save LACMA” group to oppose demolition of the old structures. Yet the completed building—with its elegant arcs spanning Wilshire Boulevard—has proven Govan’s vision: it is both an architectural masterpiece and a platform for rewriting art history.
Peter Zumthor’s Poetic Dialogue of Concrete and Glass
Working with executive architect SOM (Skidmore, Owings & Merrill), Peter Zumthor created a 900-foot-long structure suspended nine meters above ground, supported by seven semi-transparent pedestals. Inside are 26 galleries of varying sizes (15 to 300 square meters), ranging from single Qing-dynasty imperial robes to densely hung classical paintings. The ground level houses a theater, bookstore, education center, restaurant, and café, forming an open public hub.
Material choices carry deep symbolism: black concrete terraces are embedded with tiny white shells, evoking the site’s ancient seabed past; gallery walls mix red, indigo, and black pigments into the concrete, softening its austerity. Zumthor-designed wall sconces and narrow skylights deliver soft, even illumination, while Reiko Sudo’s custom metal gauze curtains precisely control natural light, keeping sensitive works (such as works on paper) safe within five meters of the glass. The entire building rests on seismic isolators capable of withstanding a five-foot displacement—critical insurance against Los Angeles’s inevitable “Big One.”
Unlike the neutral “white cube” of conventional museums, these galleries reject the fatigue of artificial neutrality. Visitors wander freely through an irregular layout where the Los Angeles skyline and La Brea Tar Pits constantly interplay with the art, creating a dynamic conversation between works and architecture. As Wallpaper* magazine observed: “Zumthor’s building lets art and architecture engage in dialogue within the cityscape, overturning the traditional museum’s disciplinary experience.”
Nonlinear Curation: Global Dialogues Under Oceanic Themes
The David Geffen Galleries’ core innovation lies in its curatorial strategy. LACMA’s 15 curatorial departments no longer have fixed rooms; European painting no longer claims pride of place, and Greek and Roman sculpture no longer dominate long corridors. Instead, the collection is reorganized around oceanic themes—“Pacific, Indian, Atlantic, and Mediterranean”—spanning 6,000 years of history and fostering cross-cultural, cross-temporal dialogue.
In the “Earth and Water” section, ancient Greek pottery sits alongside Acoma Pueblo ceramics, Mexican Colima pre-classic vessels, and 1960s California works. The “Car Culture” gallery centers on a 1963 Studebaker Avanti sports car paired with Duke Kahanamoku’s 1917 surfboard, wryly echoing Los Angeles’s automotive identity. Henri Matisse’s 1953 ceramic mural La Gerbe hangs alone at a wingtip, its natural surroundings visible through the window; a 1520 Persian Ardabil carpet is displayed in controlled light to prevent fading.
This “laboratory-style” presentation is possible because LACMA’s donation restrictions are relatively flexible, allowing curators to experiment boldly. Govan describes the galleries as an “experimental platform,” with collections rotating regularly to maintain freshness. As ARTSY reported, the single-level layout “flattens traditional museum hierarchies, letting visitors discover surprises on their own.” From Hokusai prints to California car culture, Egyptian antiquities to newly commissioned contemporary works (by Todd Gray, Lauren Halsey, and others), everything flows in dialogue.
Outdoor Public Spaces and Campus Reimagining
Beneath the building lies nearly four acres of new green space and a public sculpture garden. Rodin sculptures line the lawns; Alexander Calder’s restored 1964 fountain Three Quintains (Hello Girls) sparkles again; Jeff Koons’s Split-Rocker (2025), planted with California-native flora, blooms year-round. Works by Tony Smith and Liz Glynn further blur indoor-outdoor boundaries, reinforcing the museum’s role as a civic gathering place. With the Wilshire/Fairfax Metro station opening on May 8, LACMA becomes far more accessible via public transit.
Although the project once sparked debate over demolishing older buildings and a modest reduction in gallery space (about 10,000 square feet), the finished structure’s openness and seismic resilience have earned broad praise. Early interior reviews from Archinect and others confirm that the grand concrete arcs remain human-scaled and serve the art.
Challenges and Future Lessons
No project is flawless: concrete walls create acoustic reverberation, so video art and crowd conversation can occasionally compete; some critics (including the Wall Street Journal) feel the building’s scale sometimes overwhelms the works. Yet overall, as the original ARTnews review declared, “this is a victory.” It proves museums can move beyond Western-centric narratives toward truly global, plural storytelling.
For museums worldwide, the David Geffen Galleries offer a new paradigm: in an era obsessed with growth, prioritize flexibility, experimentation, and public accessibility. The “city of cars” now has a pedestrian-friendly cultural landmark that may reshape how art history itself is written.
FAQ
1. When do the David Geffen Galleries open to the public? Member preview runs from April 19 to May 3, 2026; public opening day is May 4. Opening celebrations include an April 16 gallery parade and other events.
2. What is the curatorial philosophy? Nonlinear and thematic, organized around oceanic themes to connect global collections and emphasize cross-cultural dialogue rather than chronological timelines.
3. Who designed the building and what are its main features? Peter Zumthor, in collaboration with SOM. Key features include a suspended concrete-and-glass structure, 26 unique galleries, seismic isolation, and seamless integration with the urban landscape.
4. What should visitors keep in mind? The galleries are single-level and encourage free wandering—allow 2–3 hours. Weekends can be busier and noisier; public transit is now excellent with the new Metro station.
5. How much did the project cost and was it controversial? Total cost: $724 million. It faced debate over design changes and demolition of older buildings, but is now widely regarded as a cultural milestone for Los Angeles.
6. Where can I find more information? Visit the LACMA official website or consult the official catalog Wander: Exploring LACMA’s David Geffen Galleries.
