Eastman Museum in Los Angeles

The George Eastman Museum is the only museum primarily dedicated to photography and the moving image. We hold one of the world’s leading collections of photography, cinema, and related technology—ranging from the invention of these media through contemporary works. For a museum of our size, we organize and present a very dynamic exhibition program—from six to nine curated gallery shows each year, plus a bimonthly series of moving image artworks. 

We are committed to Rochester as our home, but being located in our nation’s 53rd largest metropolitan area, we seek to expand our audience and our base of supporters. Several years ago, to further our mission, our Board of Trustees adopted a strategic plan to open a museum venue in a top-10 metropolitan area (other than New York, which is already well served). 

For a number of reasons, we have selected Los Angeles. Our mission and programs are ideally suited for this global metropolis, which has been the epicenter of cinema for a century and a leading center for photographic creativity for more than half a century. There is great interest among its residents in the photographic image and photography. 

We believe that establishing a permanent exhibition and programming venue in Los Angeles will advance our institution. Our strategy has several key objectives:

• Serve a much larger audience 

• Reaffirm our national standing 

• Connect with artists 

• Develop a larger donor base 

• Bolster collection development 

Given our financial challenges, we cannot use our general funds to subsidize a new venue. We are deeply grateful to Ron Fielding, a steadfast supporter of our institution, for generously pledging $1 million to support the start-up stage of our venture in Los Angeles. We recently established Eastman Museum LA, a California public benefit corporation that is a subsidiary of George Eastman Museum, and are beginning to hire staff. Our team in Los Angeles will begin fundraising in 2025.

Our long-term plan for a Los Angeles venue includes main galleries for exhibitions on photography or moving images; a project gallery that presents new or recent work; galleries that integrate photographs and cameras to explore the art, science, and impact of photography; a gallery of important motion picture cameras and projectors; and a “black box” gallery for moving image artworks. Our initial presence will be in a much smaller facility. Los Angeles is already well served by repertory cinemas. Rather than operating our own, we are collaborating with American Cinematheque, a non-profit organization that presents repertory films at three locations in Los Angeles, which will present prints from our collection. They will also let the Eastman Museum LA use their spaces for programs such as artist’s talks and panel discussions. Eastman Museum LA will ultimately employ a director, curators, educators, and staff responsible for membership and development, marketing and communications, visitor services, and security. Yet, our ambitious plans in Los Angeles will be achievable only because of the collections, staff, facilities, resources, and stature of our home museum in Rochester, where our exhibitions and programs will continue apace. The George Eastman Museum envisions establishing a self-funded venue in Los Angeles, where our leadership in preserving, exhibiting, and studying photography and cinema will make an important cultural and artistic contribution—elevating the metropolis, educating its children, and enriching the lives of its residents and visitors. In turn, this will strengthen our overall institution and bolster our activities in Rochester.

Bruce Barnes, PhD

Ron and Donna Fielding Director

January/February 2025 Bulletin