Launch of interactive 32,000-square foot facility to culminate GRAMMY Awards' 50th Celebration
GRAMMY.com
The GRAMMY Museum will celebrate its grand opening with a slate of activities Dec. 3–7, it was announced today by The Recording Academy and AEG.
The 32,000 square-foot facility will explore and celebrate the enduring legacies of all forms of music, the creative process, the art and technology of the recording process, and the history of the premier recognition of excellence in recorded music — the GRAMMY Award. Headed by Executive Director Robert Santelli, the unique "21st Century Museum" will feature interactive, permanent and traveling exhibits and will be located within L.A. Live, the downtown Los Angeles sports, entertainment and residential district. The grand opening of the Museum will be the culmination of The Recording Academy's and the GRAMMY Awards' milestone 50th Celebration.
"Music always has played a vital role in our culture and society, and the GRAMMY Museum will provide visitors a unique and hands-on opportunity to experience music's rich legacy, as well as the special process that goes into creating it," said Neil Portnow, President/CEO of The Recording Academy. "The Museum also will allow guests a behind-the-scenes, in-depth look at the backstage preparations, excitement, energy and power of Music's Biggest Night — the GRAMMY Awards. And there couldn't be a more appropriate way to commemorate our milestone 50th Celebration than the opening of this '21st Century Museum' that celebrates our past and embraces our future."
"Music is part of everyone's life and nowhere will there be a more creative, historical and comprehensive tribute to every aspect of making and performing music than the GRAMMY Museum," said Timothy J. Leiweke, President & CEO, AEG. "Combining the creativity, resources and knowledge of The Recording Academy with AEG's team of developers and the technology available to us will truly create the world's most complete and most hands-on collection of exhibits and programming paying homage to the music experience."
The grand opening slate of activities the first week of December will include a media day and evening VIP reception on Dec. 3; a gala fundraising concert on Dec. 4; school group and educator tours on Dec. 5; a morning ribbon-cutting ceremony with music at the Nokia Plaza throughout the day on Dec. 6; and more live music on Dec. 7. The GRAMMY Museum will officially open to the public on Dec. 6 with ticket information to be announced this summer.
With four floors of interactive exhibit space, the GRAMMY Museum experience is celebratory, inspirational and educational. The lobby greets visitors with multimedia presentations and elevators will take guests directly to the fourth floor where the Museum tour begins. A tunnel of bold graphics and powerful GRAMMY music ultimately opens to an exciting gallery space filled with films, artifacts and interactive exhibits — all of which capture the legacy of recorded music and reveal the many ways in which it intertwines with social and cultural history.
The third floor takes guests behind-the-scenes into the art and technology of the recording process and features hands-on, in-the-studio experiences as well as an in-depth exploration of the annual GRAMMY Awards telecast. The second floor houses the 200-seat state-of-the-art GRAMMY Sound Stage and will feature an exclusive film that captures the backstage world of the 50th Annual GRAMMY Awards. The second floor is also home to the Museum's Special Exhibits Gallery, where original temporary exhibits will be showcased on a rotating basis. The first traveling exhibit, "Songs Of Conscience, Sounds Of Freedom," will explore the depth to which music has been, and continues to be, a political force in society.
Furthering its interactive theme, the GRAMMY Museum experience will feature educational and public programs designed to engage young people, students, music fans, industry professionals and more. Events to be offered will include music classes for children; mentoring and question-and-answer sessions with visiting artists; lectures with music industry professionals; film screenings; and concert series and artist showcases, among others. The Museum will also present educational and public programs featuring films, lectures and performances, and will host special programs and private events throughout the many L.A. Live venues. Additionally, the Museum has developed partnerships with local colleges and universities including the University of Southern California, Occidental College, and the FIDM/Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandise to offer special programs and internships to students working toward a career in music.
For more information about the GRAMMY Museum, please visit www.grammymuseum.org.
