LOS ANGELES –  Los Angeles is an ever-evolving destination that constantly creates new experiences to discover, and 2023 will be no exception. This year, Los Angeles reintroduces itself to travelers with major milestones like the Hollywood Sign’s Centennial, vibrant attractions such as Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Hollywood, exceptional restaurants in neighborhoods like the Arts District, and new art exhibits and events throughout the city. With so many new gems to discover and old favorites seeing the transformation, 2023 is a fantastic year to experience all that makes the City of Angels a dining, sports, entertainment, and arts capital of the world.
2023 MILESTONES
100TH Anniversary of the Hollywood Sign
December 8, 2023
Throughout this year, the iconic Hollywood Sign will celebrate 100 years of larger-than-life lettering perched atop the Santa Monica Mountains. Originally reading “Hollywoodland” in its early days, the Sign is now an enduring symbol of Los Angeles as a place where magic is possible and any dream can come true.
Hollywood enthusiasts can expect celebratory events all throughout the centennial year leading up to the official 100th birthday on December 8, 2023. There are many ways to experience Hollywood’s past and present including the upcoming opening of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures’ Hollywoodland exhibit chronicling the founding of the Hollywood studio system. Visitors can also step into Hollywood history with a stay at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, a martini at the 100-year-old Musso & Frank Grill or a show at the Pantages Theatre. For spectacular views of the cityscape and the Sign itself, travelers can hike through the Mt. Hollywood Trail, Brush Canyon Trail, and Cahuenga Peak Trail or even ride horseback on the Mulholland Trail.
There are so many ways to join the festivities and celebrate the Hollywood Sign, with more events and experiences to be announced.
100th Anniversary of the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (Exposition Park)
June 2023
The beloved Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum celebrates 100 years of hosting major sporting and entertainment events as a key LA venue in Exposition Park. The Coliseum is an icon of the sports world having served as the home field for Los Angeles professional sports teams including the Rams, Raiders, Chargers and Dodgers in its storied past, and has been home to the USC Trojans since the Coliseum’s opening. The venue has also hosted two Super Bowls, three NFL Championships, and one World Series, and is the only venue to host two Summer Olympics—soon to be three in 2028. Sports are not the only major events the Coliseum has seen within its walls, hosting concerts by some of the world’s most famous artists including the Rolling Stones, Prince, U2, and Metallica.
The Coliseum also plays a part in key historical events, dedicated as a memorial to LA County WWI veterans upon opening in 1923. Martin Luther King Jr. also spoke at the venue less than a year after giving his famous “I Have A Dream” speech.
On top of the incredible events that happen at the Coliseum year-round, 2023 will see additional centennial events in celebration of the anniversary. The year kicks off with Nascar’s Busch Light Clash in celebration of Nascar’s 75th anniversary season on February 5, with the Super Motocross World Championship on the docket for October 14 as well.
100th Anniversary of Warner Bros. Studios (Hollywood)
April 4, 2023
A global icon of Hollywood moviemaking, Warner Bros. Studios celebrates its 100th Anniversary on April 4 with a year of exciting centennial celebrations. From fan favorites like When Harry Met Sally and Friends to masterpieces of cinema like Casablanca and Gone With the Wind, Warner Bros. will share the magic of film with audiences in special ways throughout the year.
Film fans can join the celebration through several commemorative experiences, including centennial museum exhibits and screenings at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, a special 100th-anniversary exhibit at the Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood, and a celebration of key films and major talent from Warner Bros. Pictures’ history at the TCM Classic Film Festival in Hollywood.
15th Anniversary of Dine LA
April 28 to May 12, 2023
Dine LA Restaurant Week will be celebrating its 15th anniversary this year, beginning with Spring Restaurant Week from April 28 to May 12, 2023. With hundreds of restaurants participating each season, the 15-day program showcases Los Angeles as a premier dining destination where Angelenos and visitors alike can enjoy more than 30 global cuisines across LA County.
Since its inception in January 2008, Dine LA Restaurant Week has grown to be one of the largest restaurant weeks in the country with more than 350 restaurants participating last Fall. The program continues to stimulate business for the local culinary community by bringing new diners through their doors and reminding locals to discover the breadth of culinary offerings within their neighborhoods. From casual dining to Michelin-starred restaurants and longstanding partners to new crops of restaurants added each season, we invite everyone to try a new culinary experience during Dine LA Restaurant Week this May and October to celebrate this culinary event’s 15th anniversary.
100th Anniversary of the Millennium Biltmore (Downtown Los Angeles)
October 2023
The Millennium Biltmore Hotel Los Angeles celebrates its 100th anniversary with a centennial logo, a series of anniversary events, and updates to maintain Biltmore’s longstanding grandeur. With previous lives as a prohibition nightclub, Academy Awards venue, and feature film set, the Millennium Biltmore Los Angeles was recently declared a “Los Angeles Historic-Culture Monument” dazzling guests since 1923.
The centennial celebrations will include an elegant 100th Anniversary Ball in October 2023, thematic speakeasy events, An Evening with Mermaids event, high teas at the Rendezvous Court, and a soon-to-be-announced fashion show, showcasing the Biltmore’s impressive history, ornate design and Old Hollywood style.
The “Grande Dame” will also see a restoration of its original fresco ceilings and all new windows and fixtures, and the hotel’s entrance will return to its original location on Olive Street paying homage to the guest experience of the 20th century.
ATTRACTIONS
UPCOMING
Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Hollywood
February 17
Super Nintendo World, the innovative, immersive, and highly-anticipated themed land officially open at Universal Studios Hollywood on Friday, February 17, 2023. This all-new, dynamic land will be a visual spectacle of vibrant colors and architectural ingenuity located within a newly expanded area of Universal Studios Hollywood, sweeping guests into the 360-degree world of Mario, Luigi and Princess Peach. Guests begin their adventure by passing through the iconic green pipe and entering Peach’s Castle before venturing further into the colorful Mushroom Kingdom. Super Nintendo World will feature the groundbreaking “Mario Kart™: Bowser’s Challenge” ride seamlessly fusing augmented reality with projection mapping technology and actual set pieces to take guests on through creative courses inspired by the popular Mario Kart™ video game series to compete for the Golden Cup in a repeatable attraction with a variety of outcomes. The land will also feature Nintendo icons such as Bowser’s Castle,? Blocks, and characters including Goomba, Koopa Troopa, and more. In addition, the signature restaurant Toadstool Café will serve a gourmet menu by Chef Toad including Super Mushroom Soup, Mario Bacon Cheeseburger and Princess Peach Cupcakes. Guests can commemorate their visit with a trip to 1-UP Factory for collectible memorabilia from apparel to iconic character hats and an array of plush characters.
HOTELS
Trends: After an exciting couple of years welcoming properties like The Conrad, Downtown LA Proper, The Hoxton and more, the new stays in DTLA continue with Moxy and AC Hotel Downtown Los Angeles. These hotels welcome fun-loving guests to enjoy sweeping views of the city, artistic design, signature dining and meeting spaces just steps away from LA Live and the Los Angeles Convention Center.
UPCOMING
Dual-Branded Moxy Downtown Los Angeles and AC Hotel Downtown Los Angeles
Winter 2023
With a multitude of experiences under one roof, Moxy Downtown Los Angeles and AC Hotel Downtown Los Angeles are DTLA’s newest destinations for visitors and locals. Located in the heart of Downtown, directly across from the Los Angeles Convention Center and Crypto.com Arena, the two hotels offer a total of 727 guestrooms and an unprecedented 13 dining and entertainment options, including Level 8, a collection of restaurants, bars, and lounges that highlight the neighborhood’s diverse cultures and cuisines. The property will also feature a Miami-meets-Copacabana pool deck and over 13,000 square feet of flexible meeting and social events space with a design inspired by DTLA’s industrial heritage.
Reflecting the bold, adventurous spirit of California, Moxy Downtown Los Angeles is a haven for modern nomads in LA’s creative epicenter. Moxy channels the forward-thinking energy and multicultural heritage of the neighborhood with playful design, four outdoor terraces, a pool deck overlooking the spectacular LA skyline, and tech-centric spaces. Meanwhile, AC Hotel Downtown Los Angeles provides a haven with both freedom and versatility amid the dynamic streets of DTLA. Blending the AC brand’s timeless Spanish heritage with the neighborhood’s artistic soul, AC Hotel DTLA will provide a streamlined, serene place to stay, work, create and recharge with a warm bar and lounge joined by an intimate library and rooftop terrace.
PROGRAMMING, PACKAGES & OFFERS
Pup and Away at the UCLA Luskin Hotel and Conference Center (Westwood)
The UCLA Luskin Hotel welcomes canine guests of all shapes and sizes to stay with their humans for a special fee of only $25 from now until March 31, 2023. In addition to enjoying the comforts of the Luskin Hotel, well-behaved, leashed pups can explore UCLA’s picturesque grounds and restaurant patio. Guests will also receive a tail-wagging welcome gift and a dog-walking map for a dog-friendly stay in LA.
Live Music at The Shay’s New Lobby Bar (Culver City)
Shay’s new Lobby Bar is now activated with live music every Friday and Saturday evening. Anchored by a roaring fireplace – perfect for cozy winter nights – the Lobby Bar has become a watering hole among locals and travelers in the heart of Culver City’s booming Arts District. Lobby Bar guests can now enjoy a full menu with craft cocktails and delectable bits, from a Maine lobster roll to a shrimp cocktail. Those who want to continue the fun can hop over to the Lobby Bar for The Shay’s Hometown Hangout (third Wednesday each month), with DJ beats and a spotlight on local brands, like Culver City’s brand new milk + honey spa.Â
SPORTING EVENTS
College Football Playoff National Championship at SoFi Stadium
January 9
Less than a year after hosting Super Bowl LVI, Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium will welcome college football’s biggest event, the College Football Playoff National Championship. On January 9, 2023, L.A. will host its fifth college football title game in the last 20 years as the latest in a string of major sporting events taking place in the City of Angels. The game will feature the winners of the CFP semifinals: the Peach Bowl (#1 Georgia vs #4 Ohio State) and the Fiesta Bowl (#2 Michigan vs #3 TCU).
Nasar Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum
February 5
Following a wildly successful inaugural race in 2022, NASCAR returns to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum with the 2023 Busch Light Clash, which will be the first event of NASCAR’s 75th anniversary season. After four preliminary heats and two last-chance qualifiers, the main event will feature 23 drivers racing on the quarter-mile track to capture the checkered flag.
LAFC vs LA Galaxy at the Rose Bowl
February 25
LAFC defends their MLS title with this 2023 season opener against their intercity rivals, the LA Galaxy at Rose Bowl Stadium. Rose Bowl Stadium will become the biggest stage for Los Angeles’ marquee soccer rivalry between LAFC and the LA Galaxy as they open their 2023 MLS season. This will be the 17th meeting between the two teams, and the first at the historic stadium where the Galaxy played their first-ever match on Sept. 29, 1996, and served as their home until 2002.
Los Angeles Marathon
March 19
The 38th running of the Los Angeles Marathon invites participants to run the “Stadium of the Stars” course starting at Dodger Stadium in Downtown LA and finishing at Avenue of the Stars in Century City. This beloved event welcomes runners to accomplish personal goals, experience the city on foot, and support the mission to build a healthier world.
DINING
Trends: After a standout showing in this year’s California Michelin Guide with several of its restaurants receiving Michelin Stars and distinctions, the Arts District continues to grow as a must-stop neighborhood for foodies visiting LA. This winter, the Arts District welcomes the luxurious Japanese restaurants Kaviar, coastal Italian spot Hearts & Flame and the Spanish-driven dining experience Flor y Solera.
RECENTLY OPENED
The Chap (Hollywood)
Named after the iconic British-born Hollywood entertainer Charlie Chaplin, The Chap pas homage to the public houses of London’s most iconic neighborhoods such as Soho, Hampstead and Spitalfields as well as the English countryside destinations of Surrey and Richmond. The Chap, complete with its own lushly landscaped Garden, features expansive lager & cocktail offerings, cult classic British dishes and weekly programming that will transport guests across the pond. The menu features pub classics such as bangers & mash, fish & chips, and Yorkshire pudding in a space stocked with board games, dart board, and backgammon for a casual new addition to the Vinyl District neighborhood’s thriving dining scene.
Kaviar (Arts District)
High-end Pasadena sushi favorite Kaviar comes to the Arts District in style, reimagining a local Art Deco building with an interior featuring moody lighting, Japanese design elements, and even a private caviar room. Focused on luxe ingredients, co-owner and chef John Hans Yeo helms an expert team serving Japanese staples such as sashimi, sushi, and rolls as well as dishes including uni pasta, Kagoshima A5 Wagyu, Chilean sea bass and Kaluga caviar service.
Hearts & Flame (Arts District)
Arts District newcomer Hearts & Flame serves coastal Italian cuisine in the neighborhood rapidly emerging as a dining capital. Helmed by Italian chef Michele Brogi with over 35 years of culinary experience across the globe, the menu will change seasonally with dishes including house-made focaccia, tagliatelle Bolognese and chargrilled octopus. Preparing offerings from freshly made pasta to sea-to-table dishes, Hearts & Flame’s kitchen is situated in the middle of the dining room for a memorable guest experience.
Niku X (Downtown Los Angeles)
Situated in the Wilshire Grand Center building, Niku X offers an elevated dining experience encapsulating distinct artisanal Japanese cuisine and traditional craftsmanship for a modern take on yakiniku. Helmed by Michelin-starred Chef Shin Thompson, Niku X serves a curated menu showcasing certified Japanese A5 Wagyu sustainably sourced and expertly prepared alongside rare dishes such as scorpionfish and exclusively grown Japanese vegetables. Featuring a contemporary interior and a modern Robatayaki grill, Niku X also celebrates design and innovation with an open kitchen concept and even robot servers.
Negroni (Mid-City)
Argentinian concept Negroni has opened its first West Coast location in X, bringing Argentina’s vibrant dining culture to Los Angeles. The restaurant serves a fusion menu featuring Asian, Italian and Latin influences including wine, beer, spritzes and of course, ample variations of the Negroni.
Forever Pie (Mid-City)
From the team behind Monty’s Good Burger and Nic’s on Beverly comes Forever Pie, an all-vegan pizza shop serving New York-style pizzas featuring Beyond Meat toppings, non-dairy cheeses, and Bealeaf hot chicken wings for a delicious vegan pie. Forever Pie’s 90’s hip-hop interior reflects the neighborhood’s streetwear shops and lively culture, designed with a graffiti-style mural by artist Jax, neon purple accents and DJ-curated playlists.
Howlin’ Rays Pasadena
Nashville hot chicken staple Howlin’ Rays have opened its first full-service outpost in Pasadena, serving its wildly popular chicken dishes in a sit-down dining room. After seeing incredible success during its start as a food truck and its first location in Chinatown offering walk-up and takeout service, Angeleno duo Johnny Ray Zone and Amanda Chapman have introduced in-house dining, beer and wine, and an updated kitchen ready-to-serve Howlin’ Rays’ large following of diners.
Cork & Batter (Inglewood)
New developments in the Inglewood neighborhood continue with Cork & Batter, a restaurant and bar located just steps away from SoFi Stadium, Kia Forum and the upcoming Intuit Dome as a new multi-story dining option for sure to see many sports fans and concertgoers. The casual menu features bar classics such as crispy wings and buffalo chicken sliders, alongside dishes including shishito peppers and truffle mushroom pizza.
Mirate (Los Feliz)
Sister to the Beverly Hills fine dining restaurant MĂrame, MĂrate by Chef Joshua Gil and partner Matthew Egan comes to Los Feliz. MĂrate serves an ingredient-driven menu inspired by Mexico’s bold flavors, presenting familiar flavors in a new way that intertwines the layered culinary history of Mexico with California cooking and market ingredients. A versatile multi-story space featuring multiple levels, bars, and dining rooms including Egan’s photography and murals by Mexico City-based artist Jorge Telleache, the restaurant is beautifully designed with views of Griffith Observatory.
Paloma (Venice)
A Mediterranean-inspired oasis on the corner of Abbot Kinney and Venice, Paloma serves a simple yet refined menu of fresh seasonal dishes inspired by coastal Mediterranean escapes. The space includes three distinct dining areas including a bougainvillea framed patio, an indoor space with velveteen banquettes and bar seating, and an al fresco deck featuring lush greenery and a fire pit.
L’ Restaurant at L’Ermitage Beverly Hills
Introducing L’Restaurant at L’Ermitage Beverly Hills. The restaurant highlights signature dishes and local-first ingredients, creating an elevated dining experience for all to enjoy. Guests are invited to try our new delectable menu and stop by the newly relaunched Writer’s Bar for signature sips like our L’Ermitage Martini. The reinvented culinary institution is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner at our Beverly Hills hideaway.Â
Offhand Wine Bar (Santa Monica)
LA-based wine and music collective Westside Winos presents Offhand Wine Bar featuring a carefully curated selection of natural wines with an emphasis on west coast producers. Offhand Wine Bar carries a rotating list of natural wines by the glass, along with craft beers, natural sakes, and wine-based cocktails – a bottle shop also carries a selection of wines available for takeaway or to be enjoyed on site, while the bar features a light fare menu highlighting local ingredients and artisanal products created by chef Ralph Johnson. The bright and vibrant space spotlights art and photography from local artists.
Great White Melrose (West Hollywood)
Located in the heart of West Hollywood, Great White-Melrose is the latest in the Los Angeles-based, Australian-owned brand’s growing portfolio of all-day cafes offering an unmistakably curated blend of food and beverage, art, design, music, and beyond. As with the Great White flagship in Venice Beach and a second location in Larchmont Village, Great White – Melrose’s menu, helmed by Chilean chef Juan Ferreiro (formerly of Per Se), is inspired by a blend of coastal cultures with a focus on fresh, local, seasonal fare that is simple and allows its ingredients to shine. The brand’s celebrated natural wine program, headed up by Andy Miller (formerly of Tabula Rasa) also mimics their approach to food, delivering fun, bright and crushable wines made by small and independent producers, where the stories are as important as the grapes. The 5,000- square-foot space itself (which is at the site of a former laundromat) embodies the brand’s signature European-inspired aesthetic with plastered walls, softwoods, clay wall lights, and zellige tiles. A sentimental touch, the eye-catching pink exterior facade is actually color-matched to one of the co-founder’s childhood homes in Australia. Â
New Dining Experiences at the SLS Hotel Beverly Hills
Wasp in a Wig: Designed as a fantastical escape inspired by the lost chapter of Lewis Carroll’s Through the Looking Glass, Wasp in a Wig is a contemporary take on the traditional speakeasy. Serving reimagined drinks inspired by those popularized during the prohibition era, Wasp in a Wig’s playful menu includes the Gin Garden, the Fairy, and the Coconut Fashion. The space’s design includes mixed-media furniture, a double mirrored entrance, and distinctive chandeliers for a whimsical environment.
Le Monde Restaurant: A TableMation Animated Culinary Experience, Le Monde is a French-themed restaurant serving an exquisite four-course menu designed to accompany an animated, 3D show by TableMation Studios. Each guest’s table springs to life, following protagonists Chef Nya and Ned as they prepare to conduct a cooking class before their plans are ruined by a nefarious Dr. Animator. The two heroes travel the world over the course of the dinner with ingredients in the dishes reflecting the animated adventure and concluding in a finale at the Eiffel Tower.
UPCOMING
Flor y Solera (Arts District)
January 2023
Catalan chef Mònica Angelats brings lesser-known Spanish dishes to the Arts District with Flor y Solera, a restaurant dedicated to Spanish cooking and drinking. Flor y Solera’s menu will draw from Angelats’ years of culinary experience and travels throughout Spain with regional specialties such as Miga’s cameras to popular plates like tortilla de patatas. Meanwhile, Beverage Director, Francine Diamond-Ferdinandi presents a curated selection of sherries, wines, and more to complement the menu.
Reunion (Venice)
Debuting in January 2023, Reunion by NeueHouse is a new rooftop oasis offering a special destination for NeueHouse members and locals alike to gather and connect. With indoor and outdoor seating, a crescent bar, and views of Venice as the backdrop, Reunion will offer exceptional food, creative recharges, cocktails, and much more.
Sendero at the Ritz-Carlton Los Angeles (Downtown Los Angeles)
February 2023
Helmed by Chef Kevin Luzande (most recently of award-winning Acre in Los Cabos), Sendero is unique in that it’s not one but several concepts under one roof, all of which explore the cuisines found along the Pan American highway—from seafood-rich Baja to the plains of Argentina and cosmopolitan urban capitals in between. Interiors are from EDG Design (known for work that ranges from the Art Institute of Chicago to media darling Firangi Superstar in Singapore). Concepts include Corteza at Sendero (a lively bar and dining room featuring a rotating ceviche station, bright colorful coastal dĂ©cor reminiscent of Baja markets, and a seafood-forward menu), Leña at Sendero (an Argentine-influenced steakhouse named for the firewood used by gauchos, with wood-heavy design details and a menu of grilled and roasted meats), The Agave Library (an intimate room dedicated to rare and premium tequila and mezcal, and other agave spirits), and Volante (a chef’s table concept offering a fine dining experience; named “flyer” for nods to the breathtaking views on offer at this 24th-floor restaurant—Volante is slated to open later in 2023).Â
NEW OFFERINGS
Sunday Supper at Fanny’s at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures (Mid-City)
Fanny’s Restaurant has introduced a weekly “Sunday Supper” menu with dishes in conjunction with The Art of Moviemaking: The Godfather. The family-style menu will include a weekly rotating selection of cheeky specials such as Connie’s Crispy Calamari, A Pasta You Can’t Refuse, Sunny’s “Bada-Bing!” Ribs, and more inspired plates, along with a selection of Italian wines and other cinema-inspired craft cocktails. Sunday dinner service will run from 5-9 PM; reservations can be made via OpenTable and Resy, or by emailing info@fannysla.com.
ARTS & CULTURE
Trends:Â This season, LA hosts major arts & culture events including the Felix Art Fair at the Hollywood Roosevelt and Frieze Los Angeles at Santa Monica Airport welcoming global artists and art enthusiasts to gather and experience hundreds of exceptional works on view. In addition, the Hammer Museum unveils its two-decades-long transformation on March 26 with reimagined galleries and spaces. With more museums than any other city in the nation, Los Angeles continues to thrive as an arts & culture capital.
EVENTS
Felix Art Fair (Hollywood)
February 15-19, 2023
The fifth edition of the Felix Art Fair will take place February 15–19, 2023 at The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. Felix Art Fair is a contemporary art fair, that aims to create a bond between artists and collectors through an intimate setting encouraging conversation and trade. Collectors, curators, and art lovers alike gather annually to appreciate the hundreds of paintings, sculptures, and installations on view at Felix.
The 2023 iteration will once again feature an international roster of 60+ galleries occupying both the poolside cabanas and two Tower floors, providing a comfortable and safe indoor/outdoor environment for participants and collectors.
Frieze Los Angeles (Santa Monica)
February 16-19, 2023
A leading international art fair launched in 2019, Frieze Los Angeles returns to Los Angeles for its fourth edition at Santa Monica Airport. Frieze LA largely focuses on contemporary art, celebrating the dynamic culture of Los Angeles and the city’s global contributions to the arts. This year’s fair will host over 120 of the world’s top galleries in spaces across the property including a bespoke gallery tent, the much-celebrated “Focus LA” section celebrating emerging local galleries, and a dedicated edition of Frieze Viewing Room.
UPCOMING
Hammer Museum Transformation (Westwood)
March 26
This spring the Hammer Museum will complete its two-decades-long project transforming the campus. A new building, the Lynda and Stewart Resnick Cultural Center will anchor Hammer’s transformation with a new street-level entrance boldly placing the Hammer at the gateway to Westwood Village and UCLA. The spacious new lobby will also incorporate a rotation of installations and artwork, creating an engaging environment to welcome museum visitors in addition to a newly annexed gallery space and outdoor sculpture courtyard.
The Hammer has also fully renovated its existing galleries, event spaces, and restaurant as well as renovated the Hammer Store, expanding the space by 40,000 square feet. This has created a dramatic presence for the museum across a full city block, increasing gallery space by 60% to display the Hammer’s large collection of nearly 50,000 pieces. The updated Hammer Museum will debut for visitors in March 2023.
NEW EXHIBITS
Special Exhibits at the Grammy Museum (Downtown LA)
The Rolling Stones 1972: Photographs By Jim Marshall Now – June 2023: In early 1972, the Rolling Stones headed out on tour after their No. 1 worldwide album release of Exile on Main Street. From the raucous, star-studded tour of the United States and Canada, specifically its California leg documented by photographer Jim Marshall, to their Sunset Sound recording studio visits in Los Angeles, the GRAMMY Museum®’s The Rolling Stones 1972: Photographs by Jim Marshall showcases intimate backstage scenes and dynamic performance stills.
100 Years of Peggy Lee February 9 – Spring 2023: Over the course of seven decades, Peggy Lee redefined the role of the female singer, paving the way for those who followed. In addition to accumulating more than 270 songwriting credits, 1,100 masters, 50 original albums, 800 radio performances, and 200 television appearances, Peggy Lee also conquered acting and film music composition. This exhibit celebrates the creative powerhouse, featuring handwritten notes and drawings, costume pieces, rare photographs, Dave Barbour’s Gibson guitar and personal items including a letter from Frank Sinatra as well as gifts from Walt Disney and Quincy Jones.
Marley: A Family Legacy February 9 – Spring 2023: Bob Marley took reggae to its highest heights and was one of the greatest performers the world has ever known. Even today, the message and music of Bob Marley continue to uplift people around the globe. Inspired by their father, the sons and daughters of Bob Marley carry on his work in their own unique ways. Marley: A Family Legacy tells the story of a new generation of Marleys, each an artist in his or her own right, and each with the same commitment to telling the truth through music the Marley way.
PRESSURE: James Cameron into the Abyss at the Natural History Museum (Exposition Park)
December 12, 2022 – February 20, 2023
PRESSURE: James Cameron’s into the Abyss takes visitors on a journey to the bottom of the Pacific Ocean through a multimedia experience of Cameron’s dive. PRESSURE celebrates the 10th anniversary of the 2012 DEEPSEA CHALLENGE Expedition and Cameron’s solo journey to the Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench, the deepest place on the planet. NHM’s display provides insights into the logistics—and challenges—that go into planning and executing an expedition of this size and scope. The DEEPSEA CHALLENGER submersible and science platform’s innovative technology sheds light on NHM’s vast and diverse marine biology collection and active marine science research programs. The 1,700-square-foot pop-up installation will be on public view from December 12, 2022, to February 20, 2023, and is free with general admission and for NHM Members.
New Galleries at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures (Mid-City)
The Art of Moviemaking: The Godfather November 3, 2022 – March 17, 2024: The Art of Moviemaking: The Godfather showcases the collaborative process of the making of this masterpiece through a wide array of original objects, images, and stories. In 1972, director Francis Ford Coppola’s interpretation of Mario Puzo’s popular novel provided an operatic and poignant reflection on the American Dream that not only radically transformed the moviegoing experience, but also the moviemaking process. Featured costumes, props, scripts, and equipment will highlight the contributions of each cinematic branch, exploring how they innovated the changing landscape of Hollywood. Object highlights include Don Corleone’s desk and chair used in The Godfather trilogy, Coppola’s original “Godfather notebook,” and a costume worn by Al Pacino in The Godfather Part II. This exhibition is curated by Assistant Curator Sophia Serrano with Curatorial Assistant Esme Douglas.
Director’s Inspiration Agnès Varda November 3, 2022 – March 17, 2024: Agnès Varda’s (1928-2019) work is undeniably personal drawing inspiration from her life, experiences, the people, and the world around her. The gallery highlights influences and films from her seven-decade-long career ranging from La Pointe Courte (1955), widely regarded as the first film of the French New Wave, to her autobiographical movie Varda by Agnès (2019). While the Photography section explores her time behind the still camera showcasing her Leica, as well as prints and contact sheets, the section focusing on her life as a filmmaker shows influences from her years living in Paris and Los Angeles including familial relationships, social rights movements, and other autobiographical elements. At the heart of the gallery, a triptych montage invites visitors to immerse themselves in themes and motives from Varda’s vast cinematic oeuvre. Lastly, the Art section features works from Varda’s career as a fine artist including a model for one of her life-size cinema shack installations.Â
New Additions to Significant Movies & Moviemakers February 19: After closing in January for updates and additions, the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures will reopen its Significant Movies and Moviemakers gallery with a new four-gallery experience that will showcase the all-time classic Casablanca (1942), the groundbreaking Boyz N the Hood (1991), the collaboration between production designer Sarah Greenwood and set decorator Katie Spencer, documentarian Lourdes Portillo and more.
New Exhibits at LACMA (Mid-City)
Afro-Atlantic Histories December 11, 2022 – September 10, 2023: Afro-Atlantic Histories charts the transatlantic slave trade and its legacies in the African diaspora. Through a series of dialogues across time, the exhibition features artworks produced in Africa, Europe, and the Americas in the last four centuries to reexamine—from a global perspective—histories, and stories of enslavement, resilience, and the struggle for liberation. The exhibition is organized around six groupings: Maps and Margins, Enslavements and Emancipations, Everyday Lives, Rites and Rhythms, Portraits, and Resistances and Activism. Each section considers the critical impact of the African diaspora reflected in historic and contemporary artwork.
The Five Directions: Lacquer Through East Asia December 18, 2022 – April 16, 2023: The Five Directions: Lacquer Through East Asia traces the flow of materials and ideas throughout the region. Lacquer, a natural polymer derived from tree sap, was a widely circulated and prized commodity. Stylistic variations set regions apart. Still, the dynamic flow of techniques, materials, and visual vocabularies continued uninterrupted even during times of relative isolationism. Drawing inspiration from a spatial conception where North, South, East, and West are joined by a fifth direction, the Center, the exhibition unpacks the nature of these exchanges—as trade, tribute, and treasure.
Another World: The Transcendental Painting Group, 1938–1945 December 18, 2022 – June 19, 2023: In 1938 in New Mexico, a loose configuration of artists came together to form the Transcendental Painting Group. Led by New Mexico painters Raymond Jonson and Emil Bisttram, and joined by painters such as Agnes Pelton and Lawren Harris, the members of the group sought to explore spiritually heightened abstraction by employing free-wheeling symbols and imagery drawn from the collective unconscious. According to their manifesto, they strove “to carry painting beyond the appearance of the physical world, through new concepts of space, color, light and design to imaginative realms that are idealistic and spiritual.” Another World is the first comprehensive traveling museum exhibition devoted to the group.
Coded: Art Enters the Computer Age, 1952–1982 February 12, 2022 – July 2, 2023: Coded: Art Enters the Computer Age, 1952–1982 explores how the rise of computer technology, together with its emergence in popular consciousness, impacted the making of art in the age of the mainframe. International and interdisciplinary in scope, Coded examines the origins of what we now call digital art, featuring artists, writers, musicians, choreographers, and filmmakers working directly with computers as well as those using algorithms and other systems to produce their work. Whether computer-generated or not, the many artworks considered here reflect the simultaneous wonder and alienation that was characteristic of the 1960s and ’70s, along with the utopian and dystopian possibilities of these new machines.
New Exhibits at MOCA (Downtown Los Angeles)
Simone Forti January 15 – April 2, 2023: Simone Forti is the first exhibition on the West Coast to explore the monumental career of visionary artist Simone Forti in depth. Forti is perhaps best known as a choreographer, which the exhibition will highlight with weekly performances of her groundbreaking Dance Constructions, featuring a cast of Los Angeles-based artists and creatives. At the same time, Forti can more expansively be understood as an artist who works with movement; looking beyond the Dance Constructions, this exhibition surveys six decades of the artist’s incisive work, elucidating the breadth and depth of her practice through works on paper, videos, holograms, and performance ephemera and documentation. Featuring work from the 1960s through to the present day, Simone Forti is an homage to a towering artist who has forever reframed the dialogue between visual art and contemporary dance.
Long Story Short January 15: Long Story Short presents artworks dating from the 1970s to the present day, drawn from MOCA’s world-renowned, ever-growing collection of more than 7,500 objects. It demonstrates the myriad ways contemporary artists have addressed aesthetic, political, and philosophical concerns in the last fifty years, whether by reclaiming public space in guerilla-style street performances, innovating new forms, commemorating loves and losses, challenging the hierarchy of art and craft, or rethinking the conventions of portraiture. By exhibiting artworks that are widely regarded as hallmarks of the museum’s collection alongside lesser-known pieces, recent acquisitions, and artworks that have never previously been on view at MOCA, Long Story Short reminds us that art history, and history more broadly, is made in the present.
LOOKING AHEAD
Keith Haring: Art is for Everybody at The Broad (Downtown Los Angeles)
May 27, 2023
This spring, The Broad will present the first-ever museum exhibition in Los Angeles of Keith Haring’s expansive body of work featuring over 120 artworks and archival materials. Known for his use of vibrant color, energetic linework and iconic characters, Haring’s work continues to dissolve barriers between art and life while being rooted in the creative spirit and mission of his subway drawings and renowned public murals: art is for everybody. Divided into ten galleries, the expansive exhibition will explore both Haring’s artistic practice and life, with much source material coming from his personal journals. The exhibition will highlight the breadth of mediums Haring worked within spanning from the 1970s to the 1980s, capturing the complex issues Haring takes on in his work.
The Muhammad Ali Experience (Westchester)
Expected Spring 2023
Step into the ring and experience the legacy of Muhammad Ali for an extraordinarily immersive exhibition inspired by his journey from celebrated athlete to humanitarian. From his first steps at Louisville gym to the blinding lights of Madison Square Garden, guests are invited to experience the key moments that shaped Ali into one of the most inspiring icons of the 20th century. Set to open this spring at HHLA, the Muhammad Ali Experience integrates storytelling, tactile play, and the latest multimedia technology with custom-designed experiential zones and never-before-seen memorabilia, including a virtual face-off with the champion showing firsthand the skill and speed that defined him.
Hollywoodland at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures (Mid-City)
Expected November 2023
Hollywoodland will trace the history of filmmaking in Los Angeles back to its roots at the beginning of the 20th century, illustrating how and why the city became the world capital of cinema that it still is today. With a focus on the predominantly Jewish founders of the early Hollywood studio system, the exhibition will delve into how their personal narratives shaped the distinct characteristics of the movies their respective studios produced, and contextualize the role of antisemitism in motivating their visionary efforts. This immersive gallery will convey the evolving topography of Los Angeles along the timeline of the developing movie industry, allowing visitors to feel tangible proximity to this rich history and encouraging further exploration of the city’s landmarks upon departing the Academy Museum.
Destination Crenshaw
Expected 2023
Destination Crenshaw will be the largest public/private Black art program in the nation, stamping Crenshaw Boulevard with a transformative infrastructure project boosting the community through economic development, job creation, and environmental healing while elevating Black art and culture. Spanning 1.3 miles of Crenshaw Boulevard, Destination Crenshaw will transform the area into a thriving corridor including beautiful community spaces, parks, newly planted trees and over 100 commissioned works of art later this year.
The Automated People Mover at LAX
Expected 2023
The Automated People Mover (APM) is the centerpiece of LAX’s $5.5 billion Landside Access Modernization Program (LAMP) which will enhance the traveler experience, give guests time-certain access to terminals and provide the long-awaited connection to the regional transportation system. This project is a key portion of LAX’s $14 billion modernization program, considered the largest public works program in the history of the City of Los Angeles. The APM is an electric train system on a 2.25-mile elevated guideway with six stations total – three inside the Central Terminal Area (CTA) and three outside the CTA. Los Angeles International Airport broke ground on the APM project in March 2019 and anticipates that the system will be operational in 2023. During peak hours (9 a.m. to 11 p.m.), the APM will run nine trains, each with four cars, and will be capable of carrying up to 50 passengers and their luggage, with a total of 200 passengers per train. Train speed will top out at 47 mph. The APM will be free for all users and operate 24/7.
