The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County (NHM) has undergone a significant transformation thanks to the innovative design of Frederick Fisher And Partners (FFP). Traditionally, natural history museums have been perceived as grand, imposing structures, often detached from the communities they serve. However, NHM Commons, a recently completed project by Frederick Fisher and Partners, alongside exhibition designers Studio Joseph and landscape architects Studio-MLA, shatters this mold. This groundbreaking project redefines the museum experience by creating a welcoming, accessible, and community-centric space within the existing framework of the NHM. By focusing on openness and engagement, Frederick Fisher and Partners have not just renovated a building; they have reimagined the very essence of a natural history museum in the 21st century.
The welcoming landscaped plaza and second-level welcome hall of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County Commons, designed by Frederick Fisher and Partners, extend an invitation to the South L.A. community.
To truly appreciate the impact of Frederick Fisher and Partners’ work at NHM Commons, it’s crucial to understand the museum’s historical context. Located within the expansive 160-acre Exposition Park, the NHM has evolved considerably since its Beaux-Arts origins in 1913. Throughout the 20th century, the museum expanded in size, but recent efforts have shifted towards enhancing visitor experience and fostering stronger connections with the diverse communities surrounding NHM. Exposition Park itself is a cultural hub, housing institutions like the California Science Center and the California African American Museum, and the forthcoming Lucas Museum of Narrative Art. It’s also a major entertainment and sports area, home to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and BMO Stadium, and adjacent to the University of Southern California. Crucially, NHM is bordered by South Los Angeles, a predominantly Latino and Black community that has historically been underserved. Recognizing this, NHM Director Lori Bettison-Varga emphasized the project’s core mission: to ensure the entire community feels welcome and sees the museum as a relevant and integral part of their lives. Frederick Fisher and Partners embraced this mission, making community accessibility a central tenet of their design for NHM Commons.
Previous renovations had already begun to make the NHM more inviting, particularly the north entrance with the CO Architects-designed glass pavilion in 2013, coinciding with the Expo Line light rail extension. Studio-MLA also played a role in transforming nearby parking lots into a vibrant 3.5-acre garden. However, the south side of the museum, characterized by a visually imposing 1930s facade, remained a barrier. Fred Fisher, founding partner of Frederick Fisher and Partners, recognized the need to make this facade “more approachable and inviting.” This was especially important considering the anticipated influx of visitors using the parking facilities of the future Lucas Museum located adjacent to NHM.
The revitalized south facade of the Natural History Museum, a key element of Frederick Fisher and Partners’ NHM Commons project, now presents a welcoming and transparent entrance.
Frederick Fisher and Partners responded by creating a welcoming ground-level entrance through a transparent curtain wall, a stark contrast to the formal, elevated entry of the 1930s. This new “front door” concept is central to the Commons, while the original south entrance is maintained for school groups. The $75 million project, primarily a renovation with a modest 5,400 square foot expansion, focused on optimizing the existing 50,100-square-foot interior. Frederick Fisher and Partners skillfully reconfigured fragmented spaces, allowing natural light to flood the interiors. A key element of the renovation was the replacement of the outdated auditorium, which had been closed due to ADA non-compliance. In its place, Frederick Fisher and Partners designed a flexible black-box theater with retractable seating, suitable for diverse events and importantly, accessible for community use. Furthermore, a new café at the south end of the Commons seamlessly connects the interior lobby with the exterior garden, blurring the lines between indoor and outdoor spaces, a signature element of Frederick Fisher and Partners’ design philosophy.
The landscape design by Studio-MLA for the NHM Commons garden is deeply intertwined with community engagement and environmental sensitivity. Collaborating closely with the Native American Advisory Council (NAAC), Studio-MLA, under the guidance of president Mia Lehrer, prioritized the area’s Indigenous heritage. The NAAC played a vital role in selecting culturally significant native plant species, ensuring the garden reflected the region’s natural history and honored the land’s original stewards. The design incorporates elements representing the Los Angeles Basin’s rivers and mountains, using stone, abalone shells, and topography. Frederick Fisher and Partners integrated the garden seamlessly with the architectural design, ensuring ample shade with mature trees and creating inviting seating areas that encourage visitors to linger and connect with nature.
The double-height lobby, a central feature designed by Frederick Fisher and Partners, provides views of the garden and seamlessly integrates with the new theater, enhancing the visitor experience.
Studio Joseph, led by founding partner Wendy Evans Joseph, collaborated with Frederick Fisher and Partners to develop a cohesive “narrative” throughout the project, emphasizing natural history. This narrative is evident in the facade design, where perforated aluminum panels, conceived in collaboration with Frederick Fisher and Partners, evoke organic, wave-like forms. Inside the double-height lobby, designed by Frederick Fisher and Partners as a grand welcoming space, a gift shop and escalator lead to an upper level overlooking the entry. This upper level showcases prominent exhibits, including a colossal sauropod dinosaur skeleton, affectionately nicknamed “Gnatalie,” and L.A. History: A Mexican Perspective, a significant mural by Chicana artist Barbara Carrasco. This mural, once deemed controversial and hidden from public view, now has a permanent and prominent home within the NHM Commons, reflecting the museum’s commitment to inclusivity and diverse perspectives. The juxtaposition of “Gnatalie” and the mural highlights the museum’s multifaceted collection, bridging natural history with cultural narratives.
In the “welcoming” area surrounding “Gnatalie,” Studio Joseph created deep wooden fins reminiscent of a rib cage, backed by a multi-toned cork wall evoking Earth’s geological strata. These elements, integrated into Frederick Fisher and Partners’ architectural framework, serve as reception counters and define a community gallery space. Joseph describes the “hanging-out areas” as designed to feel like a community “living room,” with comfortable chairs and finishes overlooking the garden. This concept of an “outdoor living room” extends to the NHM Commons garden itself, reinforcing the sense of community and accessibility that Frederick Fisher and Partners aimed to achieve.
The inviting double-height lobby, designed by Frederick Fisher and Partners, features comfortable seating areas and views of the garden, fostering a sense of community and welcome.
The NHM Commons project is part of a larger wave of transformation in Exposition Park. The MAD Architects-designed Lucas Museum, slated for completion in 2026, and the Science Center’s new building for the Space Shuttle Endeavour, designed by ZGF Architects, will further enhance the area’s cultural landscape. The historic Coliseum, preparing for the 2028 Olympic Games, will also contribute to the park’s vibrancy. This dynamic environment will undoubtedly amplify the impact of the NHM Commons and the new south garden plaza, potentially increasing museum attendance and solidifying NHM’s role as a vital community hub.
The NHM Commons, which opened in November, represents a significant achievement in museum design. Frederick Fisher and Partners have successfully transformed a once-imposing institution into an open, welcoming, and community-focused space. However, as Lori Bettison-Varga emphasizes, the work extends beyond construction. NHM is committed to ongoing community engagement, ensuring that the promise of NHM Commons is fully realized, making the museum a truly relevant and accessible resource for all. Frederick Fisher and Partners’ design for NHM Commons serves as a model for museums seeking to strengthen their community ties and create more inclusive and engaging visitor experiences.
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Credits
Architect: Frederick Fisher and Partners — Frederick Fisher, design director; Joseph Coriaty, partner in charge; Matthew Kelley, design lead; Nathan Prevendar, project manager; Trevor Behner, project architect; Marisa Kurtzman, programming director; David Manzano, Giancarlo Montano, designers
Engineers: John A. Martin & Associates (structural); Buro Happold (m/e/p); KPFF (civil)
Consultants: Studio-MLA (landscape); Studio Joseph (exhibition design); Buro Happold (facade); Newsom Brown (acoustics); Theatre DNA (theater); ZC Sustainability (sustainability)
General Contractor: MATT Construction
Client: Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County
Size: 75,000 square feet (addition, landscape, renovation)
Cost: $75 million
Completion Date: October 2024
Sources
Perforated Metal Cladding: Zahner
Curtain Wall: Arcadia
Glass: Viracon
Doors: Turi Door Systems, CRL
Acoustical Paneling: Whisper Walls
Interior Lighting: LSI, Prudential, Lucifer, Core, Tivoli, Lumenwerx, DMB, RBW, Amerlux
