Member Previews: Paul R. Williams at LACMA

Paul R. Williams designed a huge share of the Los Angeles that people still recognize, from private homes to civic buildings and hotels. On Thursday, November 12, LACMA lets its members into the galleries early to see Paul R. Williams: Architect for Living before the exhibition opens to everyone. If you are tracking upcoming events in Los Angeles that have a real art-world payoff, this one is worth knowing about, with one big condition: it is for members only.

When: Thursday, Nov 12, 11 AM to 6 PM Where: Resnick Pavilion, LACMA, 5905 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles Who can attend: LACMA members only

About the exhibition

Williams was the most prominent Black American architect of his generation, and he worked in his native Los Angeles through its rapid growth from the 1920s into the early 1970s. He became known as an architect to the stars, yet his range went well beyond celebrity houses. LACMA describes projects that were residential, civic, religious, commercial and hospitality, from ambitious public housing to well-known hotels in Southern California, Las Vegas and Latin America.

The museum says the show demonstrates the breadth of that work and includes never-before-exhibited drawings and photographs from his archive. It is presented alongside projects at the Getty Research Institute and USC Fisher Museum of Art, which LACMA calls the largest and most comprehensive museum presentations of Williams to date. Seeing all three would make a good architecture-minded week.

How the member preview works

Access to Member Previews is a benefit of membership, so the galleries are restricted to LACMA members. Children who come with a member are welcome. One catch from the museum: discounted guest tickets that a member buys do not get a guest into the preview galleries, so plan on each adult being a member. If you are not one yet, LACMA's page has a link to join.

The preview runs through the day, so there is no single start time to hit. Anyone who needs accessibility accommodations can email membership@lacma.org.

Getting there

LACMA sits on Wilshire Boulevard in Mid-City, near the Wilshire/Fairfax stop on the Metro D Line. The preview is in the Resnick Pavilion on the museum campus. LACMA's event page does not list a price for the preview, and a ticket link on that page is for members, so check it before you go.

For anyone building a list of things happening in Los Angeles this month, the public run of the exhibition is the longer-term plan. Members who want a quieter first look can use this day for it.