The first large-scale museum of its kind in the United States,[2][3] it houses more than 13 million objects, and is dedicated to the history, science, and cultural impact of the film industry.

[5][6] Soon after its opening in September 2021, the museum attracted criticism for a perceived lack of focus on Jewish industry pioneers such as Carl Laemmle and Jack Warner, as first reported by Sharon Rosen Leib in The Forward.

[9][10][11] In January 2022, the Academy Museum announced plans to create a permanent exhibit dedicated to Jewish industry pioneers.

[19] A spherical structure was built as an extension of the main Saban Building, connected via skyways, which features the glass-domed Dolby Family Terrace.

[1] In May 2020, the museum purchased the May Queen dress worn by Florence Pugh in Midsommar (2019) for $65,000, as part of a charity auction held by A24 to benefit COVID-19 relief efforts.

[27] The 11,000-square-foot exhibition features more than 300 objects, including original image boards, character designs, storyboards, layouts, backgrounds, posters, and cels.

There are interactive installations displayed throughout the exhibit, the “Mother Tree,” Skyview, and Magical Forest, to name a few, each inspired by a different Miyazaki Film.