The opening of the four-floor complex will come one day before the nominations are announced for the 2009 Grammy Awards, to be held on Feb. 8 at the Staples Center. The museum will house a 200-seat theater and a rooftop terrace for private/fundraising events and will be home to permanent and traveling exhibits.
The Grammy Museum Web site has a run-down of some of the permanent exhibits. The site lists one of the first rotating exhibits as “Songs of Conscience, Sounds of Freedom," which will attempt to explore a 200-year history of music and politics in America.
The third floor of the museum is slated to provide a detailed history of the Grammy Awards and the process behind them, as well a step-by-step look at the evolution of a record, from the studio to the sessions musicians to the producers. The fourth floor houses one of the most promising-sounding exhibits, an interactive look at the development of music in various American cities, which visitors can explore with touch screens.
The Recording Academy will host a media day and VIP reception on Dec. 3, a fundraising concert on Dec. 4, visits from schools and education facilities on Dec. 5, and a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Dec. 6. Live music will be performed at the museum throughout the weekend of Dec. 6 and 7. Ticket information will be released this summer.
With the 2009 Grammy nominations set to be announced Dec. 4, the Grammy Museum would seem to be an ideal location for the event. A spokeswoman for the Recording Academy, however, says a venue is still to be determined. The past few years have seen the press conference held in Hollywood at the Henry Fonda Theater.
Located right in the heart of the new L.A. LIVE development, the museum features four floors, each with its own take on the golden thread that music has played in modern history. Thought-provoking programs, interactive exhibits and a 200-seat soundstage showcase the past, present and future of music. Visitors will have a chance to immerse themselves in artist profiles, films, timelines, memorabilia and engaging multimedia presentations. In perhaps the most alluring part of the museum, a mock studio takes visitors through the actual recording process, using industry experts to lead visitors through mixing and producing.
Music always has played a vital role in our culture and society, and the GRAMMY Museum will provide visitors a unique and hands-on opportunity to experience musics rich legacy, as well as the special process that goes into creating it, said Neil Portnow, President/CEO of The Recording Academy.
In the spirit of learning, the GRAMMY Museum features numerous educational and public programs designed to engage young people, students, music fans anyone interested in the world of music. The museum even offers music classes for children, as well as lectures with visiting artists and industry insiders.
Dubbed a “museum of the 21st century," the GRAMMY Museum hardly resembles a behind-the-glass exhibition. Visitors wont find any imposing guards asking you to keep it down. After all, its about music, and turn it up is the more likely sentiment.
Explore our virtual preview of the museums highlights, but remember, if music has taught us anything, it's that theres nothing like the experience itself.
For more information contact All About Jazz.
