Another LACMA Fiasco Is No Surprise

Re “A Dutch Treat for LACMA,” Dec. 7: Why am I not surprised that the board of trustees of LACMA has decided to throw away $200 million more? After all, the history of LACMA is filled with dunderheaded decisions: Let’s build beautiful reflecting pools without realizing what the bubbling tar underneath will do to them; let’s tear out the reflecting pools and replace them with the concrete monstrosity that is the Anderson Building and completely close the museum off from Wilshire Boulevard; let’s reface the Ahmanson Building and redo the plaza, the cafe and gift shops, then raze them after only two years! All multimillion-dollar fiascoes.

Are you one of the people donating to the “$200 million let’s redo the museum yet again” fund? Wouldn’t you rather have a Vermeer than a new veneer? Then again, I don’t know why we should be shocked at the LACMA board’s decision. After all, we all know that if you’re in L.A., how you look on the outside is far more important than what you have on the inside.

James Wooten

Los Angeles