Academy Museum of Motion Pictures

Visitors arriving from 6th Street, Fairfax Avenue, and LACMA enter the museum through the dramatic Walt Disney Company Piazza, where they may pass beneath the Renzo Piano designed sphere building―a 26-million-pound structure made of concrete, glass, and steel, that is balanced atop four concrete plinths fitted with base isolators that serve as a sophisticated earthquake retrofitting system. The piazza is enlivened with landscaping designed by artist Robert Irwin and features dwarf southern magnolia trees and karo shrubs, California fan palms, vinca minor, Mexican fan palms, and jacaranda trees. During the day, the piazza is an active public space; in the evening, it can transform into an ideal event space for red-carpet arrivals and outdoor private receptions.

CAPACITY:
Standing: 750
Theater: 1,000
Seated: 920

The Ted Mann Theater, located in the Saban Building, serves as the museum’s most utilized theater. The 277-seat theater offers curated screenings and special programs on a daily basis that include Oscar-winning films, family films, and rare and historical films, all presented in an intimate, elegant, art house setting.

The Ted Mann Theater has the capacity to present films in multiple formats, including 16mm, 35mm, 70mm, and laser projection supporting Dolby Vision, which allows visitors to see the subtle details and ultra-vivid colors creating multi-dimensional visuals. The theater also features Dolby Atmos, a truly immersive audio experience. Fully accessible to moviegoers of all abilities, the Ted Mann Theater also presents live performances, lectures, panels, symposia, and community events throughout the year.

Dolby is the exclusive audio and visual sponsor of this theater.

The Ted Mann Theater was named via a generous gift by the Simms/Mann Family Foundation in honor of Ted Mann.

CAPACITY:
Seated: 277

With its 24-foot ceilings and open, modern design, the Academy Museum Grand Lobby serves as the heart for all museum activities during the day. From this central hub, visitors can move to the galleries and theaters, stop for a drink or a meal at Fanny’s, or enjoy shopping at the Academy Museum Store. In the evening, the Grand Lobby serves as a stunning space for arrivals and receptions for private events and movie premieres.

CAPACITY:
Standing: 650
Seated: 250

A grand presentation space for major film events, public programs, live performances, movie premieres, and other special events with the world’s leading filmmakers, the 966-seat David Geffen Theater is an unforgettable part of visitors’ museum experience.

The museum’s large theater is fully equipped to present film in many formats, including nitrate, 35mm, 70mm, and laser projection supporting Dolby Vision, which allows visitors to see the subtle details and ultra-vivid colors creating multi-dimensional visuals. The theater also features Dolby Atmos, a truly immersive audio experience. The Geffen Theater’s stage can accommodate a 60-piece orchestra; its seating layout can be arranged to accommodate a sound booth; and catwalks can be rigged with theater lighting.

Dolby is the exclusive audio and visual sponsor of this theater.

CAPACITY:
Seated: 952

Among the museum’s most spectacular settings is the Dolby Family Terrace. Located atop the sphere building, the Dolby Family Terrace sits beneath a stunning glass dome made from 1,500 glass panels that rises to a height of 40 feet. Perfect for cocktail parties, the Dolby Family Terrace also provides one of the most stunning vistas in Los Angeles. Visitors will encounter unobscured views of the Hollywood Hills, West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, and Westwood as well as a clear sightline of the Hollywood Sign—certainly among visitors’ most popular photo backdrops.

CAPACITY:
Standing: 600
Seated: 420

On the fifth floor of the Saban Building, the former 1939 May Company Tea Room has been transformed into a loft-like industrial space with exposed ceilings, concrete columns, glass doors to the north and south, and built-in kitchen facilities on the same floor. The Tea Room includes a house sound system for both music and presentations, a projector with a drop-down screen, and event lighting fixtures. Adjacent, the open-air Wilshire Terrace features views of the Miracle Mile skyline, California-native landscaping, and meticulously restored elements of the historic building, including the white Texas limestone ledge and black granite archway that frames the Saban Building’s iconic gold-tiled cylinder.

CAPACITY:
Tea Room
Standing: 570
Seated: 490 (no stage)

Wilshire Terrace
Standing: 420
Seated: 220
Theater: 300