Two LA Museums Destroyed in Wildfires: Cultural Loss Amid Catastrophe

The Bunny Museum and Will Rogers Ranch Museum have been reduced to ashes as wildfires ravage Los Angeles, marking a devastating cultural loss for the city.

Two LA Museums Destroyed in Wildfires: Cultural Loss Amid Catastrophe
Symbols of LA's cultural charm, are now lost to the flames in a devastating wildfire season. Photo by Daniel Lincoln.

As the infernos across Los Angeles engulf neighborhoods and landmarks, the art world mourns the destruction of two cherished museums: The Bunny Museum and the Will Rogers Ranch Museum. These losses mark a sobering moment in the cultural history of a city grappling with one of its most catastrophic fire seasons.

The Bunny Museum, a quirky institution in Altadena celebrated for its 50,000-item collection of rabbit-themed memorabilia, was reduced to ashes. Co-owner Steve Lubanski shared the museum’s heart-wrenching farewell: “Saved only a few bunny items. Saved the cats and bunnies.” The museum, a Guinness World Record holder, was a symbol of whimsy and eccentricity, now a memory lost to the flames.

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The catastrophe forces the art world to confront rising threats from climate disasters and the urgent need for better protection measures.

Similarly, the Will Rogers Ranch Museum, a Beverly Hills treasure commemorating the life of the legendary actor, has been consumed. Rogers’ great-granddaughter, Jennifer Rogers-Etcheverry, expressed the family’s grief, underscoring the devastating impact on the local community.

While destruction surrounds them, some of LA’s most iconic institutions have managed to hold the line against the fires. The Getty Villa, built with disaster resilience in mind, stood firm thanks to strategic irrigation systems and fortified construction. Yet, even as it survives, it remains shuttered alongside the Getty Center, LACMA, and the Museum of Contemporary Art Los Angeles, leaving the city’s cultural heartbeat temporarily muted.

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For Los Angeles, these fires are a harsh reminder of the fragile intersection of nature and human achievement. As the flames rage on, the city is left to reckon with the question: how can we protect cultural legacies in an era of escalating climate threats?

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