Starting July 2025, LACMA opens limited “back‑of‑hard‑hat” tours of the David Geffen Galleries—Peter Zumthor’s desert‑glass masterpiece—ahead of its 2026 grand opening. Here’s the ticket intel, sustainable design highlights, and pro tips you need.
Los Angeles County Museum of Art hasn’t offered a construction‑site sneak peek since Renzo Piano’s Resnick Pavilion in 2010.
Now, with star architect Peter Zumthor finishing the sinuous David Geffen Galleries, LACMA is granting small‑group tours starting 15 July 2025.
Think of it as a desert‑glass catwalk above Wilshire Boulevard—months before artwork arrives. Slots will vanish faster than a Hollywood sunset, so read on.
Glass‑and‑Sand Alchemy The façade’s pigmented concrete is blended with Mojave Desert sand, then wrapped in low‑iron glass that shimmers champagne‑pink at dusk.
One‑Level, Floating Plan A 7‑acre gallery plate hovers 30 feet above ground on 10 curvy cores, freeing parkland below for palm groves and public plazas.
Carbon‑Smart Concrete Zumthor specifies high‑recycled‑content cement, trimming embodied carbon by nearly 25 percent versus standard mixes.
‘Village of Rooms’ Layout No more department‑store enfilades; expect 40 irregular chambers that invite cross‑culture storytelling.
Membership First June 3: LACMA members receive a midnight email with an exclusive ticket link—$60 per person.
Public On‑Sale June 10 at 9 a.m. PT via lacma.org. Expect a $75 price tag; max two tickets.
Choose Your Lens Tours run Thu–Sun, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.; pick between Architecture Focus (45 min, core engineering) or Experience Walk‑Through (60 min, ambient lighting demo).
Hard‑Hat Dress Code Closed‑toe shoes mandatory; LACMA supplies helmets, vests, and wireless headsets.
Ocean Core #7: A circular oculus funnels California light onto travertine floors reclaimed from LACMA’s demolished Ahmanson Building.
Wilshire Overlook: Transparent flooring section lets you stand above six lanes of traffic—surreal selfie guaranteed.
Sand‑to‑Glass Story Wall: Samples show the façade’s raw desert aggregate alongside finished curtain‑wall panels.
LACMA’s Store pop‑up at the tour exit sells limited Zumthor‑edition terrazzo coasters ($85) and scale models (1:500, $350) crafted from off‑cut façade glass—catnip for design collectors.
LACMA Zumthor preview 2025 isn’t just a hard‑hat tour; it’s a front‑row seat to museum architecture’s next chapter—one where sustainability meets SoCal spectacle.
Nab a ticket, don your helmet, and be among the first Angelenos to wander Zumthor’s rippling glass plateau before the art moves in.
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