Aerial view of Westlake Park (now MacArthur Park) in 1937.
Photo from the Security Pacific Collection/Los Angeles Public Library

“Curating the City” Debuts with Seven-Week Spotlight on Wilshire Boulevard

“ Champs Elysées of the Pacific Coast.” “ Fifth Avenue of the West.” “ California ’s Most Famous Thoroughfare.” Visionaries, boosters, and planners have found many ways to praise Wilshire Boulevard, the symbolic spine of the city spanning nearly 16 miles from downtown to the ocean. Between October 2 and November 21, the Conservancy will showcase the history of Wilshire through a new educational initiative called Curating the City. Curating the City: Wilshire Boulevard.

Self-guided Architectural Tour
A one-day, self-guided architectural tour on Sunday, October 2 of Wilshire Boulevard, accessible by car or Metro bus. Six sites will be open for docent-led tours, representing different eras, architects, and icons of the boulevard. The tour will be accompanied by a guidebook and a kids’ activity guide covering downtown to the beach. Download the ticket order form here to purchase tickets.

Exciting Events
A series of exciting events presented in conjunction with local cultural, community, and educational organizations, to take place along and about Wilshire Boulevard through November 21. Download a list of selected events here.

Workshop for Teachers
Teachers can earn one LAUSD salary point by attending one Saturday morning workshop and a selection of public programs (tours, lectures, films, museum exhibitions) on the history of Wilshire Blvd. as part of the Los Angeles Conservancy’s new Curating the City: Wilshire Boulevard project this fall.

The introductory workshop will be held on Saturday, September 24 from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. This is followed by a one-day architectural tour of the length of Wilshire Blvd. on Sunday, October 2, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Teachers who complete the requirement of attending 15 hours of the workshop and associated public programs and completing required homework qualify for salary point credit. The workshop fee of $50 ($45 for Conservancy members) includes one ticket to the October 2 nd architectural tour valued at $35, free entry to lectures, a workshop notebook with resources to make the city itself a vital part of the 2 to 12 th grade classrooms, and complimentary lunch.

To enroll in the class please download the form and fax or mail, with payment, to:

Teacher Training: Wilshire Boulevard
523 West Sixth Street, Suite 826
Los Angeles, CA 90014

Website
A permanent website where visitors can create individualized tours of Wilshire, contribute personal stories (or read those of others), and retrieve tons of great historical material (available October 2 at www.curatingthecity.org).

Bus "advertisements"
Bus “advertisements” that offer historical images and information about several of the architectural gems one can see along the Wilshire route, tantamount to the labels accompanying objects in a museum.

Wilshire Memories
Wilshire Boulevard means many things to many people. The 16-mile stretch from downtown to the beach boasts a remarkable range of sites and scenery, a treasure trove of cultural and architectural landmarks. Which places would you like people to remember, today and generations from now? Tell us! To complete the questionnaire click here.

Curating the City: Wilshire Boulevard is made possible by a grant from the Getty Foundation, the philanthropic division of the J. Paul Getty Trust.

Additional support has been provided by Forest City Development.

Media Sponsors include: