New LACMA Galleries Disappoint Critics

Architecture critic Paul Goldberger pans Peter Zumthor's design for the David Geffen Galleries at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

Apr. 18, 2026 at 5:00am

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An abstract, minimalist illustration featuring sharp, angular black shapes against a plain white background, conceptually representing the architectural forms of the new LACMA building.The new LACMA building's divisive design evokes the grandeur of Los Angeles freeways, but struggles to capture the same sense of scale and drama.Los Angeles Today

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) has opened its new David Geffen Galleries, designed by architect Peter Zumthor. However, the building has been met with criticism from architecture critic Paul Goldberger, who argues that the design lacks the power and grandeur of the freeway ramps it aims to emulate.

Why it matters

LACMA has long struggled to balance its desire to be a world-class art museum with its identity as a Los Angeles institution. The new Geffen Galleries were meant to solidify LACMA's status, but the lukewarm reception from critics suggests the museum may still be grappling with this tension.

The details

Goldberger, writing for the publication airmail.news, argues that Zumthor's design for the Geffen Galleries, while daring, ultimately falls short. The building's freeway-inspired aesthetic, with its sweeping concrete forms, fails to capture the same sense of scale and drama as the actual freeway ramps it references.

  • The new David Geffen Galleries at LACMA are set to open next month (May 2026).
  • LACMA was founded in 1961 with the goal of establishing Los Angeles as a serious cultural destination.

The players

Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA)

The largest art museum in the western United States, founded in 1961 to elevate Los Angeles's cultural status.

Peter Zumthor

The Swiss architect who designed the new David Geffen Galleries at LACMA.

Paul Goldberger

An architecture critic who wrote a review of the new Geffen Galleries for the publication airmail.news.

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What they’re saying

“The Los Angeles County Museum of Art was founded in 1961 to show the world that Los Angeles deserved to be taken seriously.”

— Paul Goldberger, Architecture Critic

The takeaway

The lukewarm reception to the new Geffen Galleries suggests LACMA is still struggling to reconcile its ambitions as a world-class art museum with its identity as a Los Angeles institution. The museum's challenge will be to find a design that can effectively bridge this divide.