For the past five years, Downtown Los Angeles has been undergoing a significant transformation. This transformation is evident in the increased traffic, new restaurants, bars, and clubs, as well as the many new modern high-rise buildings dotting the landscape. This “renaissance” of downtown Los Angeles had added a palpable energy and new aesthetic to what was once a relatively bleak cultural landscape. This is no more evident than in the new Broad museum.

The Broad, Photo: Iwan Baan

Founded by philanthropists Eli and Edythe Broad, the Broad Museum opened its doors to the public on September 20, 2015. It sits on Grand Avenue in the heart of Los Angeles with the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) and Walt Disney Concert Hall as prominent neighbors. The building was designed by the architectural firm Diller Scofidio + Renfro in collaboration with Gensler. The Broad has a “porous” honeycomb-like exterior skin that distinguishes it from the nearby somewhat garish, metallic waves of the Gehry-designed Walt Disney Hall. The 120,000-square-foot, $140-million building houses 2,000 works of art in the Broad collection.

“Infinity Mirrored Room –The Souls of Millions of Light Years Away” Yayoi Kusama, 2013, wood, metal, glass mirrors, plastic, acrylic panel, rubber, LED lighting system, acrylic balls, and water, 2,876.6 x 4,152.9 x 4,152.9mm, Photo: Iwan Baan

It’s interior consists of three floors. The first floor houses the museum gift shop, main entrances, lobby, and considerable space devoted to rotating exhibits. The work on the first floor is by far the most dynamic in the museum. Yayoi Kusama’s Infinity Mirrored Room – The Souls of Millions of Light Years Away, is a mirror-lined installation housing what seems to be an endless array of LED lights that at times pulse, flash, and illuminate the room. Only one or two people are allowed into the room at one time for a limited amount of time, just under one minute. The installation is truly dazzling and hopefully as time passes, visitors will be able to view the exhibit for longer period in order to truly contemplate the concept of infinitude. Additionally, it should be noted that visitors are required to get a free, but separate timed-ticket for this exhibition after entering the museum. Like the general admission to the museum, these tickets go quickly so visitors are encouraged to pick one up soon after they enter.