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Photos from opening day at L.A.'s Academy Museum

Deborah Vankin, Al Seib
·3 min read
LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 30: Bruce Merkle wore his own ruby shoes as he enjoys the ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland from the "The Wizard of Oz" in the Academy Museum which opened its doors to the pubic following a ceremony marking the opening day for the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures. The ceremony included a ribbon cutting and civic dedication before opening its doors to first time visitors to the museum - the largest in the nation dedicated to movies and moviemaking. Academy Museum on Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021 in Los Angeles, CA. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times).
Bruce Merkle wore his own ruby shoes to visit the ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland in "The Wizard of Oz," part of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures' core exhibition, "Stories of Cinema." (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

Cue swelling orchestral music: The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures opened its doors to the public Thursday, completing a more than decade-long odyssey riddled with hurdles — cost overruns, infighting, construction delays and a global pandemic among them.

The Renzo Piano-designed museum, which describes itself as “the largest in North America devoted to exploring films and film culture,” expected about 2,400 visitors on its inaugural day — the attendance capped at 50% of capacity as a COVID-19 safety precaution.

Among the highlights of the core exhibition, “Stories of Cinema”: Dorothy’s ruby slippers from “The Wizard of Oz,” Bruce the shark from “Jaws,” R2-D2 and C3PO from the “Star Wars” franchise, and H.R. Giger’s creature headpiece from “Alien.” Also on view: a special exhibition of Spike Lee's inspirations and the first museum retrospective in North America devoted to animation legend Hayao Miyazaki.

Times photographer Al Seib was there to document the scene from opening day. And … action!

Bill Kramer, Academy Museum director, addresses guests outside the museum.
Bill Kramer, Academy Museum of Motion Pictures director, addresses guests just before the museum opens its doors to the public. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
A group of people cut the red ribbon at the Academy Museum on opening day.
Academy Museum director Bill Kramer — flanked by Chief Artistic and Programming Officer Jacqueline Stewart on his left and Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Chief Executive Dawn Hudson on his right — leads the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the museum. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
The Academy Museum's Walt Disney Company Piazza
Guests gather in the Academy Museum's Walt Disney Company Piazza for a dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
Two men and a woman talk at the Academy Museum.
AMPAS chief Dawn Hudson and Netflix Co-Chief Executive and Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos, center, talk with Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
Guests form a line for entry to the Renzo Piano-designed Academy Museum.
Guests form a line for entry to the Renzo Piano-designed Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, touted as the largest in the nation dedicated to movies and moviemaking. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
A masked man in a suit greets visitors in line to enter the Academy Museum.
Academy Museum director Bill Kramer greets guests as they enter the museum on its opening day. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
A man uses a cellphone to take a picture of Bruce the Shark from "Jaws."
Guests view Bruce the Shark from "Jaws," suspended above the third floor of the Academy Museum. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
A woman holds an Oscar statuette in a darkened room.
Barbara Cooper, who came from Seattle to attend the museum opening, holds an Oscar in the "Oscar Experience" exhibit. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
People look at an illuminated wall with images of people dancing and leaping.
Visitors enjoy the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures' exhibits on its opening day. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
Guests take photos in the costume exhibit at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures.
Guests take photos in the costume exhibit at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
Visitors look at a wall of posters from movies made by Pedro Almodóvar.
Guests visit the Pedro Almodóvar gallery at the Academy Museum. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
A woman's feet in her own "ruby slippers" below the hem of her blue-and-white gingham skirt.
Tiffany Sutton wore one of her 30-plus pairs of "ruby slippers" to visit the Academy Museum on its opening day. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
A person is silhouetted against the words "Stories of Cinema."
A guest passes by the Academy Museum's "Stories of Cinema" exhibition. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
An exhibit at the Academy Museum focused on moviemaker Spike Lee features posters, costumes and other items from his career.
Visitors enjoy the Academy Museum's exhibition of Spike Lee ephemera — his filmmaking and political inspirations and other pieces from his personal collection, including his handwritten Oscar acceptance speech. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
Scenes from movies screen on a wall as visitors watch.
Visitors enjoy the Academy Museum's exhibitions on opening day. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.