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Special Events

 Academy Museum: 6067 Wilshire Bl, Los Angeles www.academymuseum@oscars.org  (323/930-3000) This unique museum, dedicated to the moving picture industry, brings us back in time to the beginning of the film industry through never to be forgotten films and into the present.  Fabulous costumes and even more fabulous and memorable creatures, Academy Award acceptance speeches, art, a look into the production work, movies and politics, documentaries, musicals.

Director’s Inspiration: Bong Joon Ho is the first exhibition dedicated to the internationally acclaimed Oscar winning film director.   This exhibition offers a focused spotlight on his creative process, filmography and cinematic influences.  In conjunction with the exhibition the museum presents a retrospective of the director’s first seven feature films March 22, 23, 24, 31, April 3, 5 & 14.

Color in Motion: Chromatic Explorations of Cinema &  Cyberpunk Envisioning Possible Future Futures Through Cinema     Color…investigating  the role of color in film from the technological advancements that made its use possible to the ways filmmakers use color as a storytelling tool to its psychological impact on  audiences.  Oct. 6, 2024-July 13, 2025.   Cyberpunk examines the  global impact and lasting influence of the science fiction subgenre cyberpunk on film culture, Oct.6-April 12, 2026.

Digital Witness: Revolution in Design, Photography and Film, Nov. 24-July 13, 2026.

The Academy Museum Store features merchandise designed and produced exclusively for the store including Oscars memorabilia and other film related items.


Annenberg Community Beach House:  Santa Monica (310/458-4934) beachhouseevents@santamonica.gov  .  Grounds include playground, volleyball courts, sandy area, splash pad, courtyard, view deck, gallery.  Beach house open.  Pool opens Memorial Day weekend  then daily June 15 thru Labor Day and weekends thru  September. Dine at Back on the Beach, an indoor, outdoor restaurant overlooking the beach – (310/393-8282.)

AR Monuments:  Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA),  59005 Wilshire Bl.,  Los Angeles  lacma.org  LACMA and Snap Inc.release the third and final collection of AR Monument, bringing together artists and technologists to create augmented reality, monuments that explore histories of Los Angeles s communities and amplify perspectives from across the region.

Bob Baker Marionette Theater: www.bobbakermarionettetheater.com/summer2021 A rollicking trip through the calendar to all things celebratory throughout the year.


Catalina Adventure Activities: www.catalinachamber.com/ A new ropes and planks course weaves through a grove of towering eucalyptus trees deep within Descanso Canyon.  Other adventurous activities nearby include Zip line Eco Tour and Catalina Climbing Wall and there is always hiking, camping and an adventure expedition.

Cinelounge Sunset: 6464 Sunset Bl, Hollywood.  (323/924-1644)  http://cineloungehollywood.com Cinelounge Sunset re-opened in Hollywood .

Digital Witness: Revolution in Design, Photography and Film: LACMA (Los Angeles Museum of Art) 5905 Wilshire Bl., Los Angeles   This exhibition examines the impact of digital image manipulation  tools from the 1980s to the present through the works of nearly 200 artists, designers, and makers.   The exhibition illuminates today’s visual culture where digital editing tools are more accessible than ever before.    An landmark event exploring the intersection of art and science, both past and present. Nov. 24-July 13, 2026.

Fowler Museum at UCLA: 308 Charles E. Young Dr., N. Los Angeles (310/825-4361)  fowler.ucla.edu Public programs celebrating world arts and culture online and in person.  All programs are free. Must RSVP.  Construction, Occupation presents the work of 24 artists and collectives that engage art’s potential to shape the city through the power of community.  Drawing on myriad visual languages and poetics grounded in collective action, the exhibition investigates a radical urban vocabulary that blurs art and activism to address questions of infrastructure and vulnerability, circulation and segregation, and the body in public space.   Opens May 3.

Frogs: Facing a Changing World:  Aquarium of the Pacific, 100 Aquarium Way, Long Beach  (562-590-3100)  aquariumofpacific.org  See amphibians found in California and around the world, get the latest on their importance, the threats they face and what can be done to help in this new exhibition.  May 24-April 30, 2025.  Reservations required.

Free Art- Focused Programming:  Getty Center https://www.getty.edu/calendar/  A variety  of subjects including impressionist painting, archaeology of ancient Thrace, women artists in Europe and more.  The majority of these talks will be available to join online on Zoom offering the option for people to join from anywhere in the world. Beginning April 27. Ending  June 22.

Historic Downtown in-person & Virtual Tours:  Los Angeles Conservancy (213/623-2489) info@laconservancy.org  Award winning docent led tours include the L.As most beloved landmarks including the Los Angeles Central Library, the Million Dollar Theatre and the Bradbury Building. Visit Pershing Square and learn about the founding of this great city and its architecture. In person Walking tours, Saturdays at 10 a.m.. general public sales begin Thursday at noon. Live and virtual tours held Wednesdays at 6 p.m.

Jack Kirby:  Heroes and Humanity:  Skirball  Museum, 2701 N. Sepulveda Bl., Los Angeles (310/440-4500)  www.skirball.org   Delve into the six decade career of this legendary comic book artist. Jack Kirby created some of the  most enduring characters and story-lines in the history of American comics.  This exhibition goes beyond the page, featuring original comic illustrations, fine art, and commercial art — many on view for the first time–as well a Kirby’s experience as a first-generation Jewish American.  Opens May 1.

Marionette Theater:  Bob Baker Marionette Theater, 4949 York Bl., Highland Park www.bobbakermarionettetheater.com

Mindful Awareness Meditation:  presented by the Hammer Museum Thursdays 12:30-1:00.  Reserve in advance. Free. www.hammer.ucla.edu/programs-events

NHM Common Opens:  Natural History Museum  of  Los Angeles County:  900 Exposition Bl., Los Angeles  Introducing the museum’s new wing and community hub in Exposition Park. This modern and inviting “front porch” to the museum will feature 75,000 square feet of renovated space, new construction and landscaping.  It offers a new indoor-outdoor experience.  The museum  and its collection will enable he public to see into the museum while offering views of the park from inside.  A great  new experience for visitors and residents.

Noah Davis Exhibition: Hammer Museum, 10899 Wilshire Bl., Los Angeles  (310/443-7000) www.hammer.ucla.edu/programs-events   The first institutional survey of the late Noah David charts the breadth and depth of the American artist’s relentless output.  Assembling more than 50 works made between 2007 and 2015, the exhibition is organized in a manner that reflects the diverse interests of Davis’s practice. These include national politics, current affairs, everyday life, familial history, ancient Egyptian cosmologies and the racial biases of American media, art  history and architecture.   June 8-Aug. 31.

Photography at The Getty: www.visitorservices@getty.edu    The Getty Center, 1200 Getty Center Drive, West Los Angeles (310/440-7300) The museum has recently acquired works by Japanese American artists of the 1920s and 30s, members of the Kamoinge Workshop, contemporary women photographers and Southern California  artists, all to shape a more inclusive canon of photography for current and future generations.

Public Gardens of Santa Barbara: Tour these spectacular gardens but check websites in advance. Casa del Herrero www.casadelherrero.com; Ganna Walska Lotusland www.lotusland.org; Alice Keck Park Memorial Garden  www.santabarbaraca.gov/Parks/parks_passive_main.html; Santa Barbara Botanic Garden www.sbbg.org 

Public Programs and Exhibitions at The Huntington: The Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens, 1151 Oxford Rd.,  www.huntington.org    An assortment of fascinating topics and displays with talks and book signings, garden tips, music, film, lectures, exhibitions and tours.

Realms of the Dharma: Buddhist Art Across Asia:  Los Angeles  County Museum of Art, 5905 Wilshire Bl., Los Angeles www.lacma.org  International in scope, this exhibition examines key concepts of Buddhist Art and practice through sculptures, paintings, textiles and ritual objects Incorporating 180 works of pan-Asian Buddhist art, this exhibit begins with the religious origins in the 5th century BC and follows its spread through Southeast Asia, the Himalayas and East Asia.   May 11-July 12.

Revered Residences:  Los Angeles Conservancy Virtual Program https://www.laconservancy.org/events/2021-benefit-revered-residences-virtual-program   Historic walking tour adventures are offered on Saturdays. Register in advance.

Santa Barbara Museum of Art: 1130 State St., Santa Barbara (805/963-4364) www.sbma.net    Renovation of the original 1812 building has improved the exhibition space, making it possible to show more of the 27,000-object permanent collection and will enhance visitor experience through improved flow through the museum, newly created galleries dedicated to contemporary art, photography and new media. Advanced tickets are encouraged for admission and can be purchased  at  tickets.sbma.net+

Skirball Exhibitions: Skirball  Museum, 2701 N. Sepulveda Bl., Los Angeles (310/440-4500)  www.skirball.org  Diane von Furstenberg: Women Before Fashion, an expansive exhibition offering a fresh look at the remarkable life and work of this famous fashion designer from the 1970s to the present day.  Thru Aug. 31.

UCLA Public Arts Program:  UCLA Westwood campus (310/825-2101)  www.arts.ucla.edu/calendars and www.tickets.ucla.edu  Ongoing programs include distinguished lectures by luminaries such as Pritzker Prize-winning architect Thom Mayne and Phillipe Vergne, student exhibitions showing work from UCLA’s top ranked fine arts programs, student performances directed by renowned faculty and the rich offerings of the Fowler Museum, the Hammer Museum and the Center for the Art of Performance at UCLA.  Many of the events are free and all are open to the public.

Venice Family Clinic Art Walk Auction-Past, Present and Future:  Venice Art Walk Gallery, 910 Abbot Kinney Bl., Venice, CA    A celebration of the artists and collectors whose generosity has helped raise money for vital health care in our community. they will showcase a dynamic selection of established, mid-career and emerging artists.  Proceeds from the auction will fund the Venice Family Clinic’s innovative and comprehensive programs and services which provide quality health care to more than 45,000 peole in need from the Santa Monica mountains  through the South Bay.  May 9-18

Visibility Is Resistance:   Founders MCC Church, 4607 Prospect Ave., Los Angeles         (http://hqsff.com) The Hollywood Queer Short Film Festival is dedicated to showcasing the talent and creativity of LGBTQIA+ artists who want to speak to their community.  Will feature four programs  of short films representing the best work  produced this year by new and experienced filmmakers.  Oct. 4-5.

We Live In Painting: The Nature of Color in Mesoamerican Art:  Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA),  5905 Wilshire Bl.,  Los Angeles  lacma.org  A groundbreaking exploration of the science, art and cosmology of color in Mesoamerica.  Artists adorned the surfaces of buildings, clay vessels, textiles, bark-paper and deer hide pages, and sculptures with color to (re)create the world by transforming raw materials into art.  Features more than 270 objects.  Thru Sept. 2, 2025.