Under the veil: L.A. reacts to the Broad museum’s sneak peek

Hundreds of people poured into downtown over the weekend for a one-day only sneak peek of the Broad museum, which is scheduled to open officially in September. Though Eli Broad’s new museum has yet to be completed — there is still construction detritus all around and neither the escalator nor the guest elevator was operational — the public nonetheless turned out to see what lay behind architects Diller Scofidio + Renfro‘s honeycomb veil (now affectionately known as “The Cheese Grater.”)

Times architecture critic Christopher Hawthorne got in ahead of the rest of us on Friday and has a terrific Instagram essay of the details that caught his eye — including some lovely framed views of Frank Gehry’s Disney Hall, which sits just across Second Street. (He also has a write-up of his early thoughts on the building.)

Everyone’s focus appears to be on the main gallery’s ceiling, with its lovely geometric patterns, but Hawthorne points out that it’s the lobby that “promises to be a strikingly unusual room.” I’d have to agree. I’m seriously digging its cave-like forms.

Also offering some terrific photo essays are Curbed, whose photographer captured some prime views of the zig-zagging patterns, as well as L.A. Observed, which caught visitors interacting with the work of Yann Novak — whose images were projected against one of the empty gallery’s bare walls in the evening hours.

Plus, Deborah Vankin has a report on the bustling open house, which was attended by everyone from ex-Mayor Richard Riordan to Museum of Contemporary Art Director Philippe Vergne.

Naturally, I couldn’t resist snapping some of my own pix. In the embedded photo essay, find some of the details that caught my eye.

Find me on Twitter @cmonstah.