MICHAEL GOVAN
CEO and Director
The CEO and Director of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art has been a tireless advocate of the Angeleno art scene. With LACMA’s forthcoming expansion, he is poised to transform what museum architecture can look like.
WHAT’S YOUR TRADEMARK?
I guess I’m known for building museums—the Guggenheim museums, Dia Beacon, etc. In my 35 years of working, I don’t think I’ve ever not been under construction.
WHAT’S COMING UP FOR YOU IN 2025?
This is the big year when we put finishing touches on LACMA’s new David Geffen Galleries—hundreds of millions of dollars of philanthropy, and a decade and a half in the making. (It’s kept me up many, many nights.)
“The design of Frederick Law Olmsted’s parks, including Central Park. I always feel that walking through a museum should be a little more like walking through a park, finding your way through surprising paths of discovery. ”
NAME AN INFLUENCE OF YOURS THAT MIGHT SURPRISE PEOPLE.
The design of Frederick Law Olmsted’s parks, including Central Park. I always feel that walking through a museum should be a little more like walking through a park, finding your way through surprising paths of discovery.
WHEN YOU WERE LITTLE, WHAT WERE YOU KNOWN FOR?
My skill in drawing. Art was my favorite activity for as long as I can remember. And I’ve programmed computers since they were just fancy calculators.
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SEE MORE OF IN YOUR INDUSTRY? LESS OF?
Art museums need to be more about sharing art beyond their galleries. We’re doing everything we can to share our collections, not just with other art museums, but with local communities, schools, and places you wouldn’t expect to see LACMA’s masterpieces.
in your life?
