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!
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