It was an evening of celebration on Saturday September 6, 2025 as the Wende Museum formally launched the Glorya Kaufman Community Center. While some parts of the center have been in use for weeks or months, this was the moment to open all the doors, and invite people in to see what the cheering was about.
It was September of 2019 when the idea was first presented at a meeting at the Culver City Senior Center. Justin Jampol, the Executive Director of the Wende Museum, brought the idea of repurposing the long-unused property next door to the garden of the museum, and turning it into a multi-purpose community building. With support from philanthropist Glorya Kaufman, that vision was realized, and the community has benefitted.
Keeping the beautiful and historic wooden beams of the original theater, and creating a more acoustically responsive interior, the ground floor of the Kaufman Community Center has already hosted many concerts, films and classes. The interior lobby holds a portrait of Kaufman, who recently passed away, as a welcoming presence.
Adding two more stories on top of the original structure has created space for classes and conversations. Tall, wide windows offer both natural light and extensive views of the surrounding neighborhoods. Crowned with a roof garden that overlooks the city, it is an architecturally striking presence on Culver Boulevard, and a far cry from the small, neglected building it once was.
The celebration was an evening for the community to walk through (and up, and down) the gorgeous new building and take in all that has been created. Of course, there was music, food, conversation and congratulations to share.
The Wende already has a full schedule of activities happening -at the Glorya Kaufman Community Center. To find out more, click on the ad on the side of the Culver City Crossroads page, and sign up for their events newsletter.
