Richard Neutra’s Galka Scheyer House Tour

Join the L.A. Forum for an exclusive exploration of a pivotal landmark in Los Angeles modernism.

High in the Hollywood Hills on Blue Heights Drive sits one of Richard Neutra's most significant residential works, the Galka Scheyer House. Completed in 1934, the house that served as both home and gallery for one of the most influential art dealers of the 20th century. Galka Scheyer was a German-American art dealer who became the exclusive American representative of "The Blue Four"—the Bauhaus-influenced group consisting of Paul Klee, Wassily Kandinsky, Lyonel Feininger, and Alexej von Jawlensky.

Through her teaching, lectures, and advocacy, Scheyer had a direct and measurable influence on young American artists, making her house a key landmark in the cultural history not just of Los Angeles, but of the United States as a whole. Recently acquired by a German art collector, the house has been transformed into an artist residency program, continuing Scheyer's legacy of fostering cultural exchange.

This exclusive L.A. Forum tour will be led by three distinguished experts who bring unique perspectives to the Scheyer House story:

Frank Escher and Ravi GuneWardena are the principals of Escher GuneWardena Architecture, a Los Angeles firm renowned for their conceptually rigorous projects and deep engagement with the city's modernist legacy. Frank Escher and Ravi GuneWardena have a particular expertise in the dialogue between architecture and art collections, making them ideal guides for understanding how Scheyer's house functioned as both residence and gallery space.

Benno Herz is the Program Director at the Thomas Mann House Los Angeles, a residency program and space for transatlantic debate in the former exile home of German Nobel-laureate Thomas Mann in Pacific Palisades, California. He is co-editor and co-author of publications such as Thomas Mann’s Los Angeles: Stories from Exile 1940-1952 (2022). Herz is a lecturer at UCLA, teaching classes on German-speaking émigrés in Los Angeles, and covers related topics for international media.

This tour offers a rare opportunity to experience a private residence that typically remains closed to the public, guided by experts who understand both its architectural significance and its crucial role in the development of Los Angeles as a cultural destination.

Tour Details

Sunday September 28, 2025

11 am

Address will be shared with ticket holders

Due to the house's location in a residential area and its active use as a residence, public access is extremely limited. There is no parking available on Blue Heights Drive. We strongly encourage you to arrive via shared ride. There might be a few parking spots on Sunset Plaza Drive and then you can rideshare from there.

Space is limited for this special tour. RSVP today to secure your spot.

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Please note: by attending this event, you agree to the liability waiver and release below. Liability Waiver and Release: * I hereby declare that I accept and understand the following conditional requirements of my participation in LA Forum's event. I declare that I fully intend to be bound by the condition stated herein. I further declare that I have read and fully understand all of the conditions outlined below. In consideration of acceptance of my participation in LA Forum's event, I, for myself, my heirs and assigns, hereby release the sponsors, program participants, coordinators, and officials of this event from any and all liability arising from illness and/or damages I may suffer as a result of participation in such an event. I attest that I will wear any protective gear required by the event organizers. I agree that if I violate this agreement and attempt to bring suit against any part of parties named herein, that I will be held responsible for attorney’s fees and any costs incurred by that person in defending such action. I further understand that this waiver applies to all or any events in which I may participate from the time I convene with the event forward and that this waiver and release of rights contains no expiration date.

RICHARD NEUTRA'S GALKA SCHEYER HOUSE TOUR

WITH ESCHER GUNEWARDENA ARCHITECTURE & BENNO HERZ