In a powerful, citywide tribute to one of the most influential yet historically under-recognized architects of the twentieth century, Getty, Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), and USC Fisher Museum of Art will present a coordinated, multi-site exhibition series celebrating the life and legacy of Paul R. Williams (1894–1980).
Running from August 2026 through July 2027, this unprecedented collaboration marks the first major museum presentations devoted to Williams, the visionary designer who reshaped the architectural identity of Los Angeles while breaking racial barriers in a segregated America.
Williams was the first Black architect licensed west of the Mississippi River, the first Black member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), and posthumously awarded the AIA Gold Medal in 2017—the organization’s highest honor. Over nearly six decades, he completed more than 3,000 projects, leaving an indelible imprint on residential, civic, religious, and commercial architecture.
Drawing from the Paul R. Williams Archive—jointly acquired in 2020 by the Getty Research Institute and the USC School of Architecture—the exhibitions will unveil architectural drawings, renderings, plans, photographs, and memorabilia, many displayed publicly for the first time. Together, they position Williams not only as an architectural master but also as a socially conscious practitioner whose work fostered dignity, community empowerment, and economic opportunity.
Williams designed glamorous residences for Hollywood icons including Frank Sinatra and Lucille Ball, while also shaping landmarks such as the Beverly Hills Hotel and major civic projects including Los Angeles International Airport and the Downtown Civic Center. Equally transformative was his work within Los Angeles’s Black community—designing First African Methodist Episcopal Church, Second Baptist Church, and the Golden State Mutual Life Insurance Company headquarters—spaces that nurtured resilience during eras of racial exclusion.
Beyond his buildings, Williams served on the Los Angeles City Planning Commission, the California State Redevelopment Agency, and the Federal Advisory Committee on Government Housing Policies and Programs. His leadership earned him the NAACP Spingarn Medal, honorary doctorates from Howard University and Tuskegee Institute, and USC’s Alumni Award.
Exhibition Highlights Across Three Institutions
Each institution brings a distinct lens to Williams’s expansive legacy:
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“Paul R. Williams: An Architect Considered”
USC Fisher Museum of Art | August 18, 2026–March 13, 2027
This exhibition explores Williams’s groundbreaking contributions to modern multifamily housing. Featuring 35 housing projects from across his career, it pairs original archival materials with newly commissioned works by contemporary artists and architects. Seven new commissions reinterpret his vision for dignified collective living during rapid urban growth. Supported by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the exhibition bridges past and present, positioning Williams as a forward-thinking urban innovator. -
“Paul R. Williams: Architect for Living”
LACMA | November 15, 2026–May 23, 2027
LACMA’s presentation highlights the remarkable breadth of Williams’s career—from luxury hotels in Southern California and Las Vegas to civic and religious landmarks. Featuring never-before-exhibited drawings and photographs, the show underscores his stylistic versatility and technical precision, revealing how he navigated both elite and public commissions with equal mastery. -
“Paul R. Williams: Architecture Across the Color Line”
Getty Research Institute | December 15, 2026–July 18, 2027
Marking the public debut of the full archive, Getty’s exhibition focuses on Williams’s impact in constructing spaces for and with Black communities. It examines how his architecture challenged systemic exclusion and fostered collective possibility. Through intimate archival materials, visitors gain insight into how architecture can shape cultural identity and spatial justice.
A Citywide Cultural Moment
Together, these exhibitions form a cohesive narrative about design, race, resilience, and imagination. Accompanied by a scholarly catalogue, digital exhibitions, and robust public programming, the collaboration reclaims Williams’s rightful place in the canon of global modern architecture.
Los Angeles—often described as a city built on reinvention—owes much of its physical and cultural landscape to Williams’s steady hand. His legacy extends beyond aesthetics; it lives in the institutions, neighborhoods, and communities he helped shape.
This landmark series invites Angelenos and visitors alike to reconsider the foundations of the city itself—and to recognize the brilliance of an architect who designed across the color line, leaving structures that continue to define hope, aspiration, and belonging.
For More Information:
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Getty: https://www.getty.edu
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LACMA: https://www.lacma.org
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USC Fisher Museum of Art: https://fisher.usc.edu
From grand hotels to sacred spaces and public housing, Paul R. Williams built more than structures—he built pathways. And beginning in August 2026, Los Angeles will celebrate the architect who helped shape its skyline and its soul.
