LOS ANGELES, CA.- The City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA) and Los Angeles City Councilmember Mitch OFarrell will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially reopen Frank Lloyd Wrights landmark Hollyhock House on Thursday, August 18, 2022 at 8:00 a.m. Hollyhock House is the first-and-only United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage site in Los Angeles. The reopening aligns with the sites centennial anniversary.
The Department of Cultural Affairs is thrilled to reopen our Citys one-and-only UNESCO World Heritage site, said DCA Interim General Manager Daniel Tarica. Visitors will once again be able to appreciate this historic site in-person, including expanded access through our self-guided tour program. Through the pandemic closure, staff have undertaken critical restoration projects and enhanced interpretation of the site visitors will now see these significant transformations at Hollyhock House and Residence A.
Since taking office, my team and I have worked tirelessly to champion and fund the restoration of the Hollyhock House campus, said Councilmember Mitch OFarrell. When Hollyhock House was restored in 2015, we reopened this priceless cultural landmark to the public, and I can still remember the excitement felt by so many Angelenos. Weve now weathered the storm of COVID-19, and I cant wait to welcome people back to this iconic place - the only UNESCO World Heritage site in the City of Los Angeles.
Beginning Thursday, August 18, Hollyhock House will be open again for in-person, self-guided tours for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Offered Thursday through Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., tours will offer unprecedented access to Hollyhock Houses restored outdoor spaces, showcasing new aspects of Wrights self-proclaimed garden house. Advanced ticket purchase at
hollyhockhouse.org is required, and tour capacity is limited.
DCA will also be hosting a Hollyhock House Lawn Party on Saturday, August 20 from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. This free community event will feature performances from Bob Baker Marionette Theater, music, crafts, and celebratory remarks. Hot dogs, chips, and drinks will be on sale, and FORT: LA is sponsoring 100 free hot dogs (offered first-come-first-serve). The Lawn Party will celebrate the reopening of all DCA facilities in Barnsdall Park including Hollyhock House, the Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery, the Barnsdall Gallery Theatre, the Barnsdall Arts Center, and the Barnsdall Junior Arts Center. For site-specific program details, please visit: culturela.org/cultural-centers.
Through the pandemic closure, the City of Los Angeles has undertaken significant restoration projects at Hollyhock House and Residence A, the Wright-designed guest house in Barnsdall Park. Transformative exterior and structural restoration work on Residence A was completed in December, 2021; restoration of the interior and landscape are now underway. At Hollyhock House, conservation work on the cast stone, art glass windows, woodwork, and landscape has enhanced DCAs interpretation of the site and Wrights original design. New acquisitions and digital resources will now be accessible to onsite visitors, including general park guests who can utilize QR-code-linked resources like the Hollyhock House virtual tour, restoration-highlight videos, and a site welcome from Councilmember Mitch OFarrell and Curator Abbey Chamberlain Brach.
A harbinger of California modernism, Hollyhock House continues to inspire artists, architects, and the public at large, according to Hollyhock House Curator Abbey Chamberlain Brach. Were eager to welcome visitors back inside Hollyhock House to experience firsthand Wrights dramatic expression of California, which feels as modern now as it did upon its completion 100 years ago.