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What Not to Miss at the New Academy Museum of Motion Pictures

The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, set to open Sept. 30 in Los Angeles, offers much more than those famous ruby slippers.

Just as the 2022 Oscars season is beginning (in earnest) for awards-hopefuls, the long-awaited Academy Museum of Motion Pictures is set to open in Los Angeles.

The museum, first announced more than eight years ago, opens its doors at 6067 Wilshire Boulevard on Sept. 30 with several exhibitions and screening programs in store. The collections vary from technology and the history of cinema to behind-the-scenes props from famous moments in film (like matte paintings that you probably thought were real life).

On display (so far) will include The Wizard of Oz‘s famous ruby slippers, a Cinerama camera from 1954, Nightmare Before Christmas‘ original expressive heads of Jack Skellington, Shirley Temple’s tap shoes, an annotated script of To Kill a Mockingbird, and the head from Alien.

One of the collections is all about the early history of the movies and includes a steam-driven praxinoscope from the Richard Balzer Collection. Another of the anticipated exhibitions is a Hayao Miyazaki retrospective, portraying the legendary filmmaker’s work through more than 300 items (storyboards, character designs, posters, and cels from Studio Ghibli). The museum will also be screening his films, in both English and Japanese, throughout the run of the exhibition.

Among the museum’s other unique features are Calm Mornings, set-aside time for attendees wanting a less sensory-stimulating experience “with moderated sound and lighting displays,” according to the museum website.

The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures will be open seven days a week, starting Sept. 30. Timed admission tickets are now available.

Below are just a few highlights of what visitors can see at the museum of movies.

1 /6 Photo by Joshua White, JWPictures/©Academy Museum Foundation

Ruby Slippers

The onscreen pair of the famous slippers from the 1939 film, The Wizard of Oz, will be on display when the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures opens.

2 /6 Photo by Joshua White, JWPictures/©Academy Museum Foundation

‘Toy Story’ Zoetrope

According to visual renderings of the museum space, one prominent exhibit includes a massive zoetrope with Toy Story characters.

3 /6 Photo by Joshua White, JWPictures/©Academy Museum Foundation.

The Dude’s Robe

Of the many costumes and clothes on display, one that may stand out to visitors is the robe worn by The Dude himself, Jeff Bridges, in The Big Lebowski (1998).

4 /6 Photo by Joshua White/JWPictures, ©Academy Museum Foundation

Praxinoscope

This steam-driven praxinoscope with animation strips from the Richard Balzer Collection depicts the early days of cinema, dating back to 1904. The device was a successor to the popular zoetrope.

5 /6 Photo by Joshua White, JWPictures/©Academy Museum Foundation

Jack Skellington

Jack Skellington heads, used in the stop-motion The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993), are a must-see for Tim Burton fans.

6 /6 Courtesy of the Margaret Herrick Library

‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ Script

The script from the 1962 film To Kill a Mockingbird, starring Gregory Peck, is on display and features annotated notes in margins.