Paul R. Williams Exhibition Series Programming
First African Methodist Episcopal Church of Los Angeles (exterior rendering), ca. 1960, by Paul R. Williams (American, 1894–1980), ink on paper. Jointly owned by the Getty Research Institute and the University of Southern California School of Architecture. Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles (2020.M.6). © Della M. Williams Trust Dated December 15, 1988
About
From August 2026 through May 2027, Getty, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), and the USC Fisher Museum of Art present a coordinated, multi-site exhibition initiative dedicated to architect Paul R. Williams (1894–1980). Drawing from the Paul R. Williams archive, jointly acquired in 2020 by the Getty Research Institute and the USC School of Architecture, the exhibitions constitute the largest and most comprehensive museum presentations on this groundbreaking figure. Williams was the first Black architect licensed west of the Mississippi, the first known Black member of the American Institute of Architects, and its first Fellow who was Black. Spanning nearly six decades and more than 3,000 structures, his career shaped Los Angeles and extended internationally across residential, civic, commercial, and religious architecture. Together, the exhibitions highlight Williams’s architectural innovation, civic leadership, and enduring impact on the built environment.
Upcoming Events
This schedule will be updated with additional programs throughout the exhibition series.
Tuesday, September 24, 2026, 6pm
USC Fisher Museum of Art
College Night at Fisher
Explore the remarkable legacy and ongoing influence of one of America’s most influential architects with after-hours access to Paul R. Williams: An Architect Considered. Meet with college students from across Southern California while enjoying a live DJ set, hands on art making activities presented by USC NOMAS and Architecture + Advocacy, and complimentary food and refreshment.
Wednesday, November 18, 2026, 7pm
LACMA
Paul R. Williams and the Idea of Home (tickets forthcoming)
Explore the enduring legacy of architect Paul R. Williams through a conversation with Karen E. Hudson, Darren Walker, and Brigette Romanek moderated by Sandra Jackson-Dumont. Together, they consider how Williams's vision continues to shape architecture, design, and ideas of home today.
Saturday, November 21, 2026, 10am
LACMA and sites across LA
Paul Revere Was Here, co-presented with Los Angeles Conservancy (tickets forthcoming)
Step into the world of Paul R. Williams with a self-guided tour inviting you inside several of his remarkable Los Angeles buildings. Hear from SoCal NOMA voices at every site and explore the architect’s legacy in neighborhoods across LA, including in LACMA’s Paul R. Williams: Architect for Living exhibition.
Friday, December 18, 2026, 7pm
LACMA
How Paul R. Williams Made Los Angeles (tickets forthcoming)
Join artist Janna Ireland and LACMA curators Staci Steinberger and Sarah Locke to explore Paul R. Williams’s profound impact on L.A. Ireland’s contemporary photographs document Williams's buildings, bringing his historical architectural legacy to life for modern audiences.
Saturday, January 30, 2027, 10am
USC Fisher Museum of Art
Paul R. Williams: Community Spaces Tour
Led by USC architecture students, a guided tour of three community spaces designed by Williams will offer insight into the architect’s creative process and feature sites that fostered access and dignity for the African American community. Tour stops: 28th Street YMCA, Golden State Mutual Life Insurance Building, The First African Methodist Episcopal Church of Los Angeles.