▁of ▁a ▁w are house ▁district ▁in ▁which ▁many ▁Los ▁Angeles ▁artists ▁worked ▁at ▁the ▁time . ▁On ▁November ▁ 1 7 , ▁ 1 9 8 3 , ▁the ▁museum ▁inaugur ated ▁the ▁building ▁with ▁a ▁Sh into ▁pur ification ▁ceremony , ▁a ▁rit ual ▁often ▁held ▁at ▁ground break ings ▁in ▁Little ▁Tokyo , ▁as ▁a ▁symbol ▁of ▁mut ual ▁recognition ▁between ▁the ▁Japanese ▁community ▁and ▁the ▁museum . ▁The ▁first ▁public ▁program ▁was ▁a ▁commission ed ▁collaboration , ▁" Available ▁Light " ▁by ▁Luc inda ▁Child s , ▁Frank ▁O . ▁Ge h ry , ▁and ▁John ▁Adams ▁followed ▁in ▁November ▁ 1 9 8 3 ▁by ▁the ▁inaug ural ▁exhibition , ▁" The ▁First ▁Show : ▁P ain ting ▁and ▁S cul pt ure ▁from ▁ 1 9 4 0 – 1 9 8 0 " ▁cur ated ▁by ▁Julia ▁Brown . ▁The ▁building ▁had ▁been ▁originally ▁constructed ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 4 0 s ▁as ▁a ▁hardware ▁store ▁and ▁subsequently ▁used ▁as ▁a ▁city ▁w are house ▁and ▁police ▁car ▁gar age , ▁the ▁" TC ", ▁as ▁it ▁became ▁inform ally ▁known , ▁is ▁le ased ▁from ▁the ▁city ▁for ▁five ▁years ▁for ▁$ 1 ▁a ▁year . ▁ ▁Southern ▁California ▁architect ▁Frank ▁Ge h ry ▁led ▁the ▁renov ation ▁of ▁the ▁Albert ▁C . ▁Martin , ▁Sr .- des igned ▁ 1 9 4 7 ▁Union ▁Hard ware ▁buildings . ▁Ge h ry ▁left ▁the ▁ex ter iors ▁int act , ▁except ▁for ▁new ▁entrance