TravelWorld International Magazine, Winter 2021 - The Magic of the Holidays

Movie lovers rejoice!
THE ACADEMY MUSEUM
is now open in Los Angeles!
Discover everything you ever wanted to
know about Films here!
Story and Photos by Barbara Singer
Celebrity Gala Photos by Academy Museum Foundation
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Opening night reception of the Academy Museum on
The Dolby Family Terrace atop the glass Sphere Building
The new Academy Museum on Miracle Mile in Los Angeles
The Sphere Building with the David Geffen Theater and the Academy Museum
in the Saban Building, is the largest and newest movie museum in the US
fter years in the
making, the
Academy of
Motion Pictures
has achieved
the longtime
dream of the movie industry
of completing a 300,000
square-foot Museum
Complex. While Los
Angeles is already popular
with tourism, this museum
undoubtedly is destined to
become a world-renowned
tourist destination! An
architectural masterpiece,
it was designed by Pritzker
Prize-winning architect
Renzo Piano and is a must see
attraction that promises to be
an exciting movie experience
for all who enter its portals.
A landmark Art Deco
building with golden metal
exterior, it is located on
historical Museum Row at
Fairfax Avenue and Wilshire
Blvd. and was chosen years
ago to be the main Museum
building. Originally built in
1939, it was one of the popular
May Company department
stores. The highly recognizable
Academy Museum today is
comprised of two buildings,
the Saban Building and
adjacent to it, the glass
dome Sphere Building with
the 1000-seat David Geffen
Theatre and atop, the Dolby
Family Terrace, a spectacular
open setting for parties and
performances.
estivities at the dazzling
Gala opened with a
celebration of events
provided by the Museum’s
own Lights-Camera-Action
and commencing with an
open house Press Conference
for world journalists. Next,
there were Special Honorees,
then Welcome Days for Charter
Members, and finally, the
anticipated VIP Opening Night
Official Ribbon Cutting and
Opening for everyone. Academy
Museum Director and President,
Bill Kramer, declared the Museum
complex “an instant landmark for
residents and visitors alike” in the
world capital of filmmaking.
Arriving at the Academy Museum
Gala, guests, honorees and
superstars entered a palm-lined
coconut grove on a green carpet
and through a forested tree
tunnel, an amazing exhibit by
Japanese filmmaker and animator
Hayao Miyazaki. The Gala,
which was a Museum fundraiser,
benefited film making programs
and education. Ethiopian
filmmaker Haile Gerima and
Italian superstar Sophia Loren
were honored and special award
recipients were Bob Iger, Annette
Bening and Tom Hanks, for their
lengthy campaign leadership
on behalf of the Museum.
Champagne flowed and guests
were treated to a Wolfgang Puck
inspired dinner. Highlighting the
evening, the one and only Lady
Gaga, performed an array of jazz
and classics, loved by all.
The coveted invitation to the
official Opening Night of the
Academy Museum
The first journalists visiting the
1000-seat David Geffen Theater
in the Sphere Building
Eric Garcetti, Mayor of Los Angeles
with Dawn Hudson, CEO of AMPAS.
Photo by Academy Museum
Foundation
Honoree Sophia Loren with her son
Edwardo Ponti. Photo by Hunter Abrams/@
Academy Museum Foundation
Honorees Bob Iger, Annette Bening,
Tom Hanks with Nicole Kidman,
Photo by Hunter Abrams/@Academy
Museum Foundation
Cher and Lady Gaga, who gave a
stunning performance for the Gala
Guests Photo by Hunter Abrams@
Academy Museum Foundation
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