Movie Buffs, This Museum Is for You (Finally!)

What items in the museum’s collection are worth seeing?​​

The Mona Lisa of this museum has got to be Dorothy’s ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz, footwear with a history as twisty as a Dan Brown thriller. Five pairs were known to have survived the film’s production. One pair was buried in an MGM warehouse for 30 years, Indiana Jones-style, until it was accidentally unearthed in the 1970s. Another was on display at the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids but got stolen by Oz-loving cat burglars in 2005 (the shoes were finally recovered by Michigan authorities in 2018).​​

Now one pair is on exhibit — safely behind glass — here at the Academy Museum. Beyond the ruby slippers, there are plenty of other historical artifacts to ogle: the only surviving fiberglass mold for Bruce the shark from Jaws (hanging ominously over a stairwell), the typewriter used to tap out the screenplay for Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho, the tablets from The Ten Commandments, a space suit from 2001: A Space Odyssey, shelves filled with Oscars (on loan from winners like Sidney Poitier and Barry Jenkins), a cape worn by Bela Lugosi in Dracula and — prepare to be awed — a robe worn by Jeff Bridges’ Dude in The Big Lebowski. ​​

What does the museum charge?​​

Admission is $25 but add another $15 and you can enter the Oscar Experience, an immersive environment that lets ordinary folk step up to a podium and pretend to accept an Academy Award in front of a virtual crowd. You get to hold a statuette (identical to the ones given out on Oscar night) but you don’t get to take it home. Instead, you’ll be emailed a video of your acceptance speech. But just like the real Academy Awards, keep it short; you’ll only get a few seconds before the orchestra starts playing you off stage. Don’t forget to thank your agent.​​

Does the museum have a restaurant and how good is it?​​

Or dinner, for that matter? The museum’s restaurant, Fanny’s — named after Fanny Brice, the original Funny Girl — promises to be something of a showstopper in its own right, with managing partner Bill Chiat (who helped create Republique, Bestia, Otium and Tartine, along with other current L.A. hot spots) modeling the space on Golden Age eateries like the Brown Derby and Chasen’s. In other words, there’ll be lots of red leather, velvet and mohair booths and an old-school style of obsequious service that includes waiters carving beef tableside, sommeliers pouring wine and jacketed captains checking on diners mid-meal.​​

The exact menu is still under wraps but daytime service will likely be salad-and-sandwich fare while dinner will strive for a more formal ambience, serving mostly American cuisine. Fanny’s will also hold private parties, arranged by Hollywood’s most famous chef, Wolfgang Puck (who has been catering the Oscars Governors Ball for ages.​​

How good is the gift shop and which souvenirs are worth buying?​​

Of course, the true test of a great museum is its gift shop, and the Academy Museum won’t disappoint. You may not be able to purchase Dorothy’s ruby slippers but you can snag the next best thing: a handbag that looks just like a pair (created by Once Upon a Time in Hollywood costumer Arianne Phillips in collaboration with Moschino’s Jeremy Scott). There are also Lego Oscars, jewelry created by Black Panther costumer Ruth Carter (sorry, no vibranium), Academy tote bags and tons of T-shirts, including a special Spike Lee Crooklyn collectible. Prices aren’t available yet but, like every true Hollywood creative, expect to go over budget.​ ​

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