LACMA acquires the popular ‘Rain Room’ for its permanent collection

Nearly 190,000 people have been caught in the seemingly magical downpour of “Rain Room,� the immersive light and sound installation that had visitors posing for selfies amid a drenching simulated storm inside the Los Angeles County Museum of Art since November 2015.

The piece — created by Hannes Koch and Florian Ortkrass of the London-based art collective Random International and on loan to LACMA from Restoration Hardware, which originally commissioned the piece — closed on Jan. 22.

But fear not: The rains will return.

LACMA said it has acquired the piece, a gift from RH, for its permanent collection.

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WATCH: Inside “Rain Room,� an elaborate art installation that allows visitors to walk through a simulated downpour, at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. (Video by Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

Visitors to “Rain Room� largely stayed dry as they moved through its falling water. The piece recycled about 528 gallons of water.

“To us, ‘Rain Room’ is a reflection of creative courage, trust, and a belief that all of us have the ability to affect any environment we choose to step into,� Restoration Hardware Chief Executive Gary Friedman said in a LACMA blog post. “After ‘Rain Room’s’ incredible success at MoMA in New York and its unprecedented 15-month run at LACMA, we are proud to donate the piece to LACMA’s collection, giving it a permanent home and continuing to inspire those who encounter it.�

The museum hasn’t yet announced future exhibition dates.

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