Tom Hanks, Laura Dern to host 'A Night in The Academy Museum' on ABC
It is a dream that has now become a reality after a decade: A new museum in LA was conceived by The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, best known for giving out Oscars every year.
The first museum in Hollywood devoted to the movies opened on Sept. 30, and now it's the subject of an ABC primetime special hosted by Tom Hanks and Laura Dern.
Cher and Danny Glover are just two of the big stars who show you around during "A Night in The Museum."
The special celebrates a dream that's been around for almost 100 years, but only became a reality in the last five years of construction.
The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures is, "really a museum that is meant to prick the imagination, the inspiration of everyone that comes," Hanks said.
An Art Deco department store is linked to a modern sphere designed by the famed architect, Renzo Piano.
With a terrace on top, the striking structure holds two theaters. During a recent trip to LA, entertainment reporter Sandy Kenyon spent time with museum President Bill Kramer who said, "These are theaters that are designed to remind our audiences why going to the movies, why seeing a movie in a movie theater is such a singular and remarkable experience."
The museum's galleries feature the stuff that dreams were made of, noted The Academy's President, David Rubin.
"Any film that you've loved particularly as a child, it brings back a crush of all these memories, there's nothing like it," Rubin said. Which is why it's called memorabilia.
The Museum's Chief Programmer Jacqueline Stewart was asked if any object gives particular excitement during a stroll through the exhibits.
"Yes, there is, and we're approaching it now, it's this costume from 'The Wiz' worn by Mabel King to play the character Evillene," Stewart said.
The titans of Hollywood kicked in almost half a billion dollars to build this monument to their industry which, we must point out, has not always done right by women and people of color. It's a troubling fact which thankfully has not been ignored here.
"We've been through a lot of social upheaval ," Academy CEO Dawn Hudson said last month, "and now the museum can reflect a very inclusionary history of moviemaking."
It turns out it's possible to celebrate movies and moviemakers while also recognizing Hollywood's problems.
Don't miss the special after "Dancing with the Stars" Tuesday night on ABC.
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