Local philanthropists Lynda and Stewart Resnick gave the Los Angeles County Museum of Art $55 million at the beginning of this week. The majority of the donation ($45 million) will go to Phase 2 of Lacma’s ongoing "Transformation," a project dedicated to making upgrades to the museum. The remainder of the endowment will be in gifts of art valued at $10 million. In honor of the Resnicks' contribution, Lacma will name a new building—slated to open in 2010—the Lynda and Stewart Resnick Exhibition Pavilion.
Event space at the new single-story, glass and stone structure has yet to be defined or announced; the building is intended to house special exhibitions, retail outlets, restaurants, and education space. Resnick Pavilion’s exterior will be a combination of glass and travertine marble, and its interior galleries will be laid out in a flexible open-plan style that can accommodate multiple exhibitions. The building will be situated north of the Broad Contemporary Art Museum, which opened in February 2008, and will feature glass roof and ceiling elements to provide natural light.
