The new Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, which opened in September, isn’t just a celebration of the 93 films that won Best Picture, or props behind glass. Nor does he shy away from some of the film industry’s most defining acts of the past century.

The renovated 82-year-old Saban Building, which houses the Academy Museum, sits on the northeast corner of Fairfax and Wilshire, directly opposite the Petersen Automotive Museum. Inside, there’s a three-story “Movie Stories” journey through movie history and mechanics, and almost the entire fourth floor is dedicated to a temporary exhibit on Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki from “ Spirited Away “and” Howl’s Moving Castle “. The top floor features the Dolby Family Terrace, which offers city views from the Miracle Mile to the Hollywood Hills.

Here are some reasons why you should visit the museum.

ET and Jaws in the flesh

A special exhibition shows a plethora of costumes and molds of fantasy and sci-fi characters. You can look ET in the eye, stand next to R2D2, and see a mold of the bloodied head of Arnold Schwarzenegger from “Terminator 2”. One of the last known “Jaw” sharks hangs from the ceiling of the escalator.

Old hollywood

There is no lack of tributes to the early years of cinema. In the “Significant Movies & Moviemakers” section, the first film featured is “Citizen Kane”, widely regarded as one of the greatest of all time. Throughout the building, giant posters of the LA landscape long before freeways divided the city. The “Wizard of Oz” exhibit features Dorothy’s ruby ​​slippers, previously unseen promotional photos from the cast, and Tin Man’s oil can.

“Horror Movie 2” and “The Great Lebowski”

If you don’t like old movies or Oscar winners, there is always something for you at the Academy Museum. You can see the bathrobe worn by Jeff Bridges in the cult favorite “The Big Lebowski” in the costume show. In a depiction of storyboard art, four sketches with director’s notes are on display from the movie “Scary Movie 2”, a film with a 14% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

The Oscars themselves

Did you know that in 1994, Steven Spielberg was nominated for “Jurassic Park” and “Schindler’s List”, two very different films?

There’s an entire room surrounded by videos of some of the most memorable Oscar acceptance speeches. You can also see actual Oscar statuettes on loan to the museum, dating back to the first Academy Awards in 1927. You can read a detailed Oscar winner timeline, loaded with facts and firsts. Did you know that in 1994, Steven Spielberg was nominated for “Jurassic Park” and “Schindler’s List”, two very different films?

Controversy

There is no shortage of controversies surrounding the film industry and the Oscars themselves. The Academy Museum shows decades of examples that ultimately led to the #OscarsSoWhite social justice campaign in 2015. This includes a video playback of actress and activist Sacheen Littlefeather’s speech at the 1973 ceremony denouncing the treatment of American Indians by the film industry, and the mixture of cheers and boos from the crowd. In the makeup and hairstyle section, there is a section on the shameful history of characters of color played by white actors.

The beautiful works of art and the photo ops

The art of animation is at the forefront of several exhibitions. Buzz and Woody’s early drawings from “Toy Story” are on display and are impressive when you consider what the final product looked like. For an additional $ 15, you can hold a replica of an 8.5-pound Oscar statuette and get a video of yourself on “stage” to accept the prize.

Inspiration

On the second floor, the “Director’s Inspiration” room is currently devoted to Spike Lee, and traces the history and influence of his films over nearly 40 years. There’s an old movie editing desk that must weigh in the thousands of pounds with tech that fits right into the average iPhone and Android. There’s also a scrolling wall of quotes from influential names in movie history, seemingly chosen to inspire the next generation of filmmakers.

“The future of cinema is in the hands and hearts of young creators,” reads a quote from casting director Kim Coleman.