Boulder Makes its Debut at LACMA

A 340-ton granite boulder that made headlines as it was carted 105 miles from a Riverside County quarry to Los Angeles made its public debut at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art on Sunday.

The centerpiece of Nevada-based artist Michael Heizer's museum entryway exhibit "Levitated Mass" opened to the public at 11:30 a.m.

The installation, conceived by Heizer in 1969, features a 456-foot-long concrete recessed walkway, with the massive boulder placed over it. Visitors will enter the museum through the roughly 15-foot-deep slot.

"This is a historic occasion, one many years in the making," LACMA Executive Director Michael Govan said. "Thousands of families witnessed the transport of the 340-ton megalith to LACMA this spring, and now Michael Heizer has realized his artwork on the museum's campus, where it will stand for generations to come. I am grateful to the many generous donors who made this incredible endeavor possible."

The boulder arrived March 10 after an 11-night journey on a 200-foot- plus-long cargo rig. The massive rock was suspended on cables and chains, as the vehicle slowly moved during generally overnight hours along streets big enough to accommodate it.

The boulder became a "rock" star of sorts at stops along the way. Residents came out to cheer the boulder on as it passed through their cities.