LACMA’s new wing is expected to open to the public in April 2026. (photo courtesy of Museum Associates/LACMA)

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art announced on Oct. 25 that, after four years of construction, the last of the scaffolding will be removed from the David Geffen Galleries, revealing for the first time the full form of LACMA’s new building for its permanent collection, designed by Pritzker Prize–winning architect Peter Zumthor. With the full shape of the 900-footlong, horizontal building at last visible as it spans Wilshire Boulevard, construction will move into its final phase. With nearly 90% of construction finished to date, major construction completion will be reached by the end of 2024, and in early 2025 LACMA will start to move key operational functions into the building.

After the building systems are commissioned, LACMA will install artworks from the museum’s global collections in 110,000 square feet of galleries on the exhibition level, with April 2026 set as the opening of the David Geffen Galleries. LACMA will offer select groups, including members, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to preview the dramatic spaces inside the building in its raw state starting in spring 2025 before artworks are installed.

“Being so close to opening our new galleries and to having so much more art on view is incredibly exciting,” said Michael Govan, LACMA CEO and Wallis Annenberg Director. “So many people have contributed to making this vision for LACMA and Los Angeles a reality, and we are grateful to each and every one. When the scaffolding  comes down, L.A. will finally see 360 degrees of Peter Zumthor’s amazing architectural achievement and begin to sense how wonderful this building is going to be inside. We can’t wait to open to the public in April 2026.”

Marrying architectural design and program, non-hierarchical presentations of art from all cultures and eras will be brought together on the single, elevated exhibition level in the David Geffen Galleries, redefining the museum experience for visitors and offering a more inclusive perspective on art and history. On the exhibition level, floor-to-ceiling glass panels along the soaring perimeter will open some of the galleries to natural light while providing panoramic views out to the city, making every visit feel new depending on the time of day, season, and weather. The exhibition spaces vary from these light-filled terrace galleries to sheltered interior galleries suitable for installation of light-sensitive works. The subtlety of the changing light is framed by the solidity of architectural concrete, chosen for its structural and aesthetic properties.

For information, visit lacma.org.