With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today .
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.
Whoa, The Redesigned Petersen Auto Museum Is Looking Fierce
Check out those sweet racing stripes in a photo taken today (Photo by Tony Pierce via Instagram)
()
The Petersen Automotive Museum is undergoing a major renovation, and it's a stunner— thanks to a fresh coat of red paint and shiny new fenders.
The reflective steel ribbons began wrapping around the Miracle Mile museum's new red facade back in April. And now, the $125 million redesign seems to be speeding towards completion, which is expected this December. It will mark the museum's 20th anniversary. Once completed the undulating silver zebra stripes—designed by architect Kohn Pedersen Fox—will be lit from within and run around the entire building on the corner of Wilshire and Fairfax. According to Fox, the exterior is meant to “evoke the imagery of speed and the organic curves of a coach-built automobile."
The Petersen's renovated interior will feature 22 new galleries and plenty of interactive technology to complement the museum's diverse collection of vehicles. The museum recently announced that they've partnered with several international automotive brands to bring innovative exhibitions to the completed museum. One of the new galleries will include a revolving selection of BMW's Art Cars, designed by artists like Alexander Calder, Frank Stella, Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol, Jeff Koons, and Jenny Holzer. There will also be an installation demonstrating how Maseratis go from concept to completion, and a 1,500 square-foot simulation room where visitors can tear up legendary racing circuits.
The bold redesign of the Petersen has drawn comparisons to the shiny metallic beacon across town: The Disney Concert Hall. Eventually the museum will sit across from the new Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences film museum when that building is completed in a few years. And it will be just down the street from the planned redesign of LACMA, which is expected to cross Wilshire Blvd. and look "angular and muscular" based on the latest design proposal.
Support for LAist comes from
You can watch the transformation of the Petersen's exterior with this cool time lapse video and keep an eye on the progress using the museum's Work Zone Cam.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
The study found recipients spent nearly all the money on basic needs like food and transportation, not drugs or alcohol. -
Kevin Lee's Tokyo Noir has become one of the top spots for craft-inspired cocktails. -
A tort claim obtained by LAist via a public records request alleges the Anaheim procurement department lacks basic contracting procedures and oversight. -
Flauta, taquito, tacos dorados? Whatever they’re called, they’re golden, crispy and delicious. -
If California redistricts, the conservative beach town that banned LGBTQ Pride flags on city property would get a gay, progressive Democrat in Congress. -
Most survivors of January's fires face a massive gap in the money they need to rebuild, and funding to help is moving too slowly or nonexistent.
Best of LAist