Academy Museum Opening Delayed Until After 2020 Oscars

The opening date of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures has been delayed again, this time until at least after the 2020 Oscars, an Academy Museum spokesperson told TheWrap.

The museum was originally set to open later this year. Even though the Oscars are taking place on its earliest date yet on Feb. 9, 2020, cinephiles will have to wait until a still-unspecified date before the museum located on Wilshire Blvd. and Fairfax Ave. in Los Angeles is open to the public.

“The Academy Museum’s intention is to create a unique and unparalleled museum experience. Achieving this has required a highly complex construction effort-renovating a 1939 LA landmark, building a new spherical structure that includes a 1500-panel glass dome, and joining them together to produce 300,000 square feet of spectacular public and exhibition space,” an Academy Museum spokesperson said in a statement.

Also Read: Academy Museum to Launch With Hayao Miyazaki, Black Cinema Exhibits

The spokesperson continued: “At every decision point along the way, we have always chosen the path that would enhance the structure, even if that meant construction would take more time to complete. Similarly, when we were presented with opportunities to expand the scope of our exhibitions, interior spaces, and collection for the visitor experience, we have embraced them. As we continue working through the permitting process and move closer to completion, we are weighing the overall schedule for major industry events in 2020, and on this basis will choose the optimal moment for our official opening.”

The Academy Museum has been eagerly anticipated since it was first announced in 2012 (though the Academy has discussed building a museum since as far back as the 1920s), but it has been delayed several times since its initial launch date.

The museum’s website now simply lists the museum’s opening date as “coming soon.”

Also Read: Academy Museum COO Rich Cherry to Resign Less Than a Year After Taking Job

Bob Iger sits on the Museum chair along with co-chairs Tom Hanks and Annette Bening, and the site designed by architect Renzo Piano will restore the historic Saban Building.

It will feature six floors, including exhibition spaces, the 288-seat Ted Mann Theater, an education studio, special event spaces, conservation areas, a café and store. The new spherical addition will connect to the Saban Building via glass bridges and will feature the 1,000-seat David Geffen Theater and the rooftop Dolby Family Terrace.

Some of the inaugural exhibits announced for the museum in December of last year included a retrospective of the films of Hayao Miyazaki, an exploration of black cinema, a making of “The Wizard of Oz” and a history of the Academy Awards themselves.

Deadline was first to report news of the Academy Museum’s delay.