Tim Burton Exhibit LACMA

I can’t believe that I never wrote a review for this exhibit! Now, this review is waaaaay overdue as I went to this exhibit years ago and it is no longer open. I was reminded of this as I sit here watching «The Nightmare Before Christmas» and thinking of Halloween.
I am a huge Tim Burton fan and love his dark and gothy works and themes. I was beyond thrilled to learn that this exhibit would be happening! I planned a Tim Burton day out with my friends where we went to the exhibit during the day and to the El Capitan at night to see the Nightmare Before Christmas in 4D.
This exhibit was located at LACMA. With entry into the Tim Burton exhibit, you could also check out the rest of the museum. This exhibit displayed many works from the mind of Tim Burton to from when he was a child to current works in progress. This was where I learned about Frankenweenie, which I love! The entry into the exhibit was classic Tim Burton.
It was crowded when we went, but it was not so crowded that we were unable to enjoy anything. I think it’s because we went on a weekday. I wish they would have this exhibit every year around Halloween time. I think it would be a great Halloween activity!
The exhibit was 5 stars in my mind. I learned so much about Tim Burton and how he had so many of these ideas as a child, long before he became famous. My final review is a 4 star however, because the price was indeed high and the exhibit was smaller than I had expected, plus, no pictures were allowed. However, as you can see, many people did take pictures. The only picture you were allowed to take was at the entrance!
I wish they had this again so I could go! Perfect for any Tim Burton fan!

Ok, I’m way behind… I started this review originally in ¹⁰⁄₂₀₁₁ but I have managed to neglect it after all the traveling.
But I’m really glad that I took the time and effort to visit this exhibit! It was way more than I expected and full on immersion into the works and world of Tim Burton. Learned a lot about this earlier works and that he was a cop before discovering his art! I took my 2 aunts and they all loved it!

Lagged on this review of the exhibit but better late than never. Really enjoyed his pre-​Disney works. He’s definitely kept true to his themes in his films. The exhibit was kinda small but it was full of Burton or Burton-​related art.
I went the last week so it wasn’t too bad of a wait. Plenty of opportunities to take quirky photos and enjoy LACMA. I really enjoyed this exhibit! The gift store was super cute and full of unique souvenirs. Hopefully it will come around again for those who missed it!

Ahh yes, Tim Burton. He is quite an amazing guy for creating my beloved Edward Scissorhands and Beetlejuice. I knew that I HAD TO visit LACMA when this exhibit was in town. I didn’t regret it at all!
Yes, the price for the ticket was a bit steep, but it was a once-​in-​a-​blue-​moon splurge on museums for me. I went on a weekend and it was packed. I didn’t like getting bottle-​necked in the first two rooms or the fact that they stopped letting people take pictures of the entrance, but I understand the latter. The logistics was why I docked one star… they could have made the entire thing flow a bit better…
The artwork I saw were really entertaining and and I loved the Edward Scissorhands suit on display. That was definitely one of my fav parts of the whole thing. I liked the short films that were playing in various parts of the rooms. Even though it was a bit crowded, I still managed to get a good view of all of them. «Vincent», which was narrated by Vincent Price was very entertaining and worth the wait.

Welcome to the brilliant inner workings of Tim Burton’s mind.
Severed heads. Mechanical parts. Loose eyeballs. Runaway limbs. Dancing skeletons.
Intrigued by the contradictory nature of the human experience Tim Burton’s fascination with outsiders and monsters is glaringly obvious in his choice of characters. Having always felt at odds with the ordinariness of being a youth in the burbs of Burbank, CA, he combated his sense of alienation by immersing himself in pop culture texts, toys and children’s books and began drawing to express his emotions, feelings. Since he’s admittedly much more connected to creatures than with humans, they became central figures in his artwork and films. In both mediums, these creatures represent external manifestations of intense emotions, having large heads, limbs and necks.
His alienation fueled much of his early artwork, one of which became the basis for the most personal of his films (and one of my personal favorites), Edward Scissorhands! His exploration of isolation and disconnection are exhibited by the main character Edward who is seemingly human except for his freakishly large scissorhands. He is perhaps one of the most loveable characters in any Burton film to date, likely because of his fragile and vulnerable nature, which is so palpable in Johnny Depp’s portrayal.
His characters are forced to make their way in an alienating and unsympathetic world. They bear the results of their social disconnection on their bodies and fill his movies with a monstrous energy that affirms different ways of being part of the world. There’s a lot of Burton in these characters and walking through this exhibit was very much like taking a guided tour through his soul. And that man has got SOUL.
If you’re a fan of classics like Batman, Batman Returns, Edward Scissorhands, Beetleguise (my top four fave) as well as his other well known works, you will fall in love with this exhibit! A must MUST see!

I’m a fan of Tim Burton’s films. Almost all of them were good. Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Corpse Bride, Sweeney Todd, and Alice in Wonderland are a few of my favorites. And there were exhibits for each one of these movies at LACMA. There were even exhibits for movies which I didn’t even know he worked on! Like Batman! Or Planet of the Apes!
The whole exhibit spans three-​four rooms long. My favorite room, is this room that is all dark… lit with black lights! At the end of the exhibit, there is a small gift store with Tim Burton Gear for sale. Miniatures of some of the exhibits you’ve seen. T-​Shirts. Costume props. Tons of things.
When I went, admission was free, so I’m not sure how much this would cost. Or if it would be worth the price. Parking was pretty easy since there is a parking structure underneath LACMA. Another bonus is the Street Light exhibit outside of LACMA. You get to see both in one visit! :)

Tim Burton, the true Prince of Darkness! Yes, the mastermind behind the original Batman movies and also other notable films like Edward Scissorhands and Beetlejuice.
I’ve always enjoyed his films but I now have a higher respect for who he was and is after stepping through his conceptual arts and some of his earlier works. Gazing and inspecting each and every detail of his artwork was like taking a journey into his mind and possibly soul (haha).
Such a twisted and whimsical, creative mind he had! One of a kind!
I hate to insert «spoilers» into this review since its MUCH better to be surprised when visiting a Museum/​Exhibit plus I don’t have any real pictures since photography was not allowed.
Compared to regular exhibits, this one had the entertainment factor. There were rooms with moving objects, unique lighting, and best of all, movie props from such films like Batman and Edward Scissorhands!
Went on a Friday afternoon, the volume of patron was minimal, low traffic. Order your ticket online and you also get to visit the rest of the museum.
So, get off your lazy BUM and head over to LACMA to enjoy some crazy art.

I enjoyed the Tim Burton exhibit at the Resnick Pavilion at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. It was my first visit to LACMA and this was a great introduction.
I agree with a previous poster that the exhibition is very comprehensive – almost overwhelming. I enjoyed Burton’s drawings as a youngster and I was intrigued to see some of the school work he had turned in to his teachers in school. And, it is quite surprising that the change in his art work has been minimal.
I’m so glad I had the chance to be in LA when this exhibit was in residence. It was marvelous. The man is truly a very talented individual.
Pay the $ 10 and park in LACMA’s underground garage. The elevators bring you right up to the plaza level by the outdoor bar and and café. You enter and exit on 6^th street.
It;‘s well worth a stop.

Tim Burton is one fascinating living mind. His movies are captivating and weird even when they’re kind of bad. He has character and vision that come through more directly than for almost any other director. I love his strange semi-​grotesque art and his off-​beat storytelling. The exhibit at LACMA was a perfect way to appreciate Tim Burton.
The entrance into the exhibit takes the form of a wide open mouth belong to a crazed animated face. When you walk into that mouth, you find yourself immersed in the body and brain of Tim Burton’s work. His writing, his sketches, his paintings, his objects — they inhabit every foot of space in every room, complete with explanations worth reading. The exhibit can take a long time to get through if you take it all in, and it’s worth lingering every step of the way. There are plenty of movie-​related props, including an Edward Scissorhand and a Batman mask, as well as figurines of lovable characters from his films. I also loved all of his strange disturbing art, and especially his odd collection of character stories.
When we left the exhibit, I felt like I’d spent a large chunk of my day in another mind, as in a real life John Malkovich experience. For the record, I’d go to that exhibit, too, but I suspect the artwork would be even creepier.

I was fortunate to be able to visit this exhibit this summer after a year of waiting for it to come out. I’ve been a fan of Tim Burton’s artwork and films since I was young. The things he has created is just amazing. The exhibit features doodles, early sketches, and all sorts of cool stuff Burton has come up with. There’s also some items from his personal collection as well.
Admission to the exhibit is $ 20 and there is no re-​entry once you leave, but you’re allowed to stay in as long as you want and once you’ve finished, you’re allowed entry into the other exhibits at the LACMA. I went with my best friend Katie N. and our other friend Rian A. on a weekday afternoon and it was packed. I suggest going maybe early in the morning, so you won’t feel rushed as you’re walking throughout the exhibit. Also, you’re not allowed to take pictures of the exhibit, which is a huge bummer because there were so many things I wanted to capture on film! The Tim Burton exhibit would be a perfect summer outing with friends or a date, since it’s in the heart of LA with plenty of other things to do after. The exhibit lasts until Halloween, so I definitely recommend you go at least once before it’s gone!

This exhibit is amazing for fans of Tim Burton’s work. If you’re not a fan, but like movies, you might want to check it out too. It’s busy on the weekends. I recommend going early or on a weekday. There are no re-​entries into the exhibit but you can spend as much time as you want inside. The ticket will also get you entry to the rest of the LACMA so definitely go when you have time! FYI, the exhibit is open until Halloween so go soon.
My favorite parts were his early sketches, along with the painting of the Joker and sketches of Edward Scissorhands. There’s also this note that Tim wrote to Johnny Depp regarding a line about cannibals for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory which ended up being used for the movie. It was awesome! I admit it was crowded but it was fun to go with a small group of friends and very enjoyable.

This is no doubt a fantastic exhibit. My one and only advice — DO NOT GO ON A WEEKEND! We went this past Saturday and the lines were ridiculous and it was hard to even get up to the art as there were hoards of people everywhere.
Ok enough about the crowd, and onto the art. The art is phenomenal. There are sketches from Burton childhood and art from major works like Beetle Juice.
I really regret going on a Saturday as it made us rush through the exhibit just to avoid the crowds, but it’s definitely worth visiting.

$ 20 rip off!
Let me start by saying I’m a huge fan of Tim Burton. I love his work and everything for which he stands. I was completely giddy when we arrived at 2PM on a Thursday. As soon as we hit the actual entrance, it became a major clusterfuck. Not to mention that it’s only a tiny portion of a seemingly unfinished gallery. It looks like they were going to use the main part of the pavilion but then gave up.
Here are my major issues with this exhibit:
–Charging an extra $ 7 if you want the audio tour (which gives more info than what they display on the walls) is complete nonsense.
–People who use the audio devices just stand slack-​jawed in front of each piece while they listen to the audio guide and cause major backups.
–The background walls (except for the blacklight room) are bare and boring.
–They waste too much time and space talking about Tim Burton being from Burbank. Who the fuck cares? LACMA isn’t in Burbank or anything, so it made no sense.
–It’s mostly sketches thrown together in groups.
–No photography, even without flash, and you must keep your cell phone in your bag/​pocket.
I really think they should offer certain entrance times where no audio tours are allowed, unless a person is hearing/​vision-​impaired. This would allow traffic to flow through the exhibit.
To top it all off, the gift shop SUCKED. It was mostly generic items — DVDs, bookmarks, etc. I wanted a magnet but they only had a set of 2 which weren’t even iconic Burton images. A lot of it is regular LACMA merch that has «Tim Burton 2011» stamped on it.
Be sure to check out a selection of Tim Burton’s favorite artwork in the
main museum! It’s fascinating.
One last thing: please do not bring your babies/​children if they can’t be quiet and respectful of a museum space. Letting your kids run around one-​of-​a-​kind character sculptures is rude and disrespectful.

Tim Burton is such a curiously amazing person. Seeing this exhibit really made me have such respect for him. His work is just so curiously disturbing. It’s interesting to be able to see his work and even his papers from when he was in high school. It’s interesting to see how he became the type of person he is now. Seeing all his work is so inspiring and makes you want to draw, write, and let your imagination run free just like him!
I don’t usually walk out of exhibits wanting to buy things but his exhibit made me want to buy one of his works. I ended up walking out with «The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy and other stories» and it’s great! It’s just enough inspiration I need when I feel lacking in inspiration!
The exhibit was great if you love Tim Burton and have always been curious about him you should definitely go! There’s no photography allowed past the entrance but there’s a book at the end of the exhibit that you can buy which has a collection of all his works! This exhibit can easily take you 2 hours or longer!

I went into this exhibit with low expectations, being a huge Tim burton fan I just didn’t want all my hopes and dreams crushed. Thankfully I was very happy with the exhibit and it is had SO much more then I was expecting, and honestly the pictures do it no justice. I went on a Monday and there were still quite a few people there though not nearly as bad as on weekends from what the museum employees were telling me.
I think what I really loved was that they had lots of monitors showing various Tim burton short stories like Vincent and Stainboy.
My only wish is that they had cooler gift shop merchandise i felt they should have embraced his macabre-​esque works, if they had I’d have left there broke for sure.
I’m pretty positive I’ll be back again before the exhibit leaves in October.

Tim Burton fans eat your dark little hearts out. What an amazing collection of odds and ends from the unparalleled Tim Burton and his inspirations.
I thoroughly enjoyed this exhibit and can leave you with some wise words. Go spend that $ 20 and check it out for yourself.

Whoa! I don’t know if I should admire the artist or envy him for being a genius. It shows that he is very talented and creative beyond my expectations. The artist talent is extraordinary and is surprising to view some of the artwork. There is a world that exist and it is such an admiration to get a brief glimpse of the world.
I found myself overwhelmed that I tried absorbing as much. The artwork so unique, it is amazing that he started creating this world at such a early age. My only con to this was the time restraints, otherwise I’d give this 5 stars. I felt rushed like cattle through the whole thing as the time limit is not enough. I got annoyed that I broke the rules and became a rebel. So as the rebel I am, began snapping pictures of the art I didn’t have time to admire. :)
Highly recommend going here, yeah the 20 bucks is a little steep. Sometimes you got to spend a little extra to experience something as unique as this exhibit. The artwork, the mini movies, and movies props are way better than what you get at the local hollywood museum.

Tim Burton’s exhibit will truly make you see things in a different way. I’m not a cult follower of Burton’s and I’m not familiar with all of his work but I enjoyed this exhibit very much. I used to love drawing sketches in my younger years and Burton’s exhibit made me want to pick up a sketchbook and pencil again. Our styles are nothing similar but there was something inspiring in his art. One observation I made is that he likes blue-​skinned females in his work. Can someone tell me why?
No photos inside but apparently security isn’t tight with all the photos uploaded here.
The exhibit is $ 20 a person and parking is $ 10 with validation. This also includes access to all the other LACMA exhibits so make sure you make plenty of time to enjoy everything they have to offer!

I have a better appreciation for Tim Burton. Such a creator of imagination. There were pieces in the exhibit of random sketches on regular paper, newpapers, even a hotel notepad. A lot of his random sketches are funny. Made me wonder how his teachers/​professors in school thought of his work. Were they positive and encouraging or frighten and thinks he should talk to a child psychologist.
$ 20 for the Exhibit. I would think it’s a little over priced. I have 2 VIP passes to LACMA, THAT was given to me BY LACMA. But i couldn’t use them bc it was a Special Exhibit… dislike!
Beware of LACMA coats, they will follow you if you have a camera.
«NO, PHOTOGRAPHY.»

Tim Burton, you are awesome! I came here yesterday to check out his exhibit but it was sooo packed, I didn’t think we’d get in. My bf and I decided to just our membership cards and wait to go another day. I had bought a groupon or something here a couple of months ago. It was so worth it. I only paid 50 for 2 each with a year membership and tickets to any paid exhibits like the Tim Burton one. We were informed that with our membership, we would be able to skip the line. What a score. Unfortunately, there was still a line to get into the exhibit we just cut half of the line.
I loved everything they had in there. There were about 3 large rooms and 2 small rooms. They had art work he did when he was young up to the most recent works. I loved the batman masks. I really wanted to touch them haha. The edward scissor hand costume was the best and I loved the cartoon humor.
Unfortunately it was extremely crowded inside and was an effort to look at the art and be able to appreciate all the details while trying to look around someone else’s head and trying not to cut other people off.
This is a ‘must-​see’ exhibit but I recommend coming in a couple of weeks when the crowds die down a bit.