The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles
This museum holds an extensive collection of almost 8,000 works, including paintings, sculptures, and installations by artists who worked after 1940. The main site on Grand Avenue displays rotating exhibitions in bright galleries grouped around a sunny courtyard, while the Geffen Contemporary in Little Tokyo presents large-scale works in converted warehouse halls.
The institution was founded in 1979 by artists and supporters who wanted to create a space for new art after the county museum shifted its focus. The first major retrospective of an artist took place in 1990, followed by thematic exhibitions on feminist art and social movements in the following decades.
The name comes from a wish to create a home for art made after 1940, which had no fixed place in Los Angeles at that time. Today, people from across the city visit the exhibitions to see how artists address current themes and personal stories through painting, sculpture, and installation.
The galleries are wheelchair accessible and offer clear signage throughout the different exhibition spaces. Visitors using public transport can take the Metro and then plan a short walk or bus connection for the final part of the journey.
The Geffen Contemporary was originally a warehouse that architect Frank Gehry converted without hiding its industrial structure. The high ceilings and open floors give artists plenty of freedom, so some installations occupy multiple rooms and surprise visitors with their unexpectedly large formats.
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