The Academy Museum is located at the corner of Wilshire Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue. (rendering ©Renzo Piano Building Workshop/©Academy Museum Foundation/image from L’Autre Image)

Bill Kramer, director and president of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, announced on Dec. 18 that the new institution’s much-anticipated opening will be moved from spring to fall 2021 due to the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

With rising virus infection rates, museums remaining closed and continued restrictions on public gatherings in Los Angeles, the museum has decided to push back its opening to protect the health and safety of its visitors and staff.

The Academy Museum will open to the public on Sept. 30, 2021, and will be preceded by a suite of opening events, including a gala on Sept. 25, 2021.

“Despite the many challenges of 2020, the museum has accomplished a great deal this year: completing its pre-opening fundraising campaign, obtaining LEED Gold certification and the installation of exceptional exhibitions,” said Ted Sarandos, chair of the Board of Trustees of the Academy Museum. “We are fortunate to have one of the world’s most exciting new cultural institutions ready to go. Now it’s just a matter of patience, for all of us, as we look ahead to opening our doors on Sept. 30.”

“We are putting the final touches on our stunning exhibitions and public spaces, and while we were ready and eager to welcome visitors in the spring, with the current surge of COVID-19, it would be irresponsible to maintain an April opening,” Kramer added. “We know a new day is coming for us all, and when it does, the Academy Museum will be ready to offer our visitors the remarkable experience we have all been wanting.”

The Academy Museum is located at 6067 Wilshire Blvd. For information, visit academymuseum.org.