This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
The Santa Monica Museum of Art will be getting a new name, as the whole thing is moving downtown.
The Santa Monica Museum of Art (SMMoA) has announced their planned move downtown, upon which they'll become the Institute of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (ICA LA), the L.A. Times reports.
The Bergamot Station location of the museum closed in May of 2015, and their new spot is appropriately located at 1717 E. 7th St. in the Arts District. They'll take over an old garment manufacturing facility that comes in at 12,700 square feet—an additional 2,000 square feet more than their old spot. The space will be designed by architect Kulapat Yantrasast, founding partner of architectural firm wHY, based in Culver City. They previously designed the first LEED Gold certified art museum building in the world in Grand Rapids, Michigan. They're also one of the finalists for the Pershing Square redesign.
SMMoA was founded in 1984 by Abby Sher, originally located in the Edgemar shopping center, designed by Frank Gehry. In 1998, the museum found a new home at the Bergamot Station Arts Center.
Executive Director Elsa Longhauser said in a statement that while the name and address are changing, "what remains constant is our goal to reveal the vibrant, untold stories and pivotal moments in the history of contemporary art." ICA LA will open in 2017.
