The Getty Center is not just for art lovers. Perched in the hills above West Los Angeles, the main branch of the world-class museum may look like an elevated modernist city. Its dramatic buildings, meanwhile, house galleries filled with masterpieces that might intimidate those not familiar with 17th-century Baroque art—or with the sculptures of Henry Moore or Isamu Noguchi. But herein lies the beauty of the Getty Center: Whether you go for art, for the free Friday night concerts, for kid-friendly programs, or just to find the perfect place for a relaxing picnic lunch, it has something for everyone. Even better? Admission is free. (You just need to pay for parking.)
Designed by renowned architect Richard Meier, the main Getty Center complex includes the Getty Conservation Institute, the Getty Research Institute, the J. Paul Getty Museum, the Harold M. Williams Auditorium, two cafés, a full-service restaurant, and more than 86 acres of landscaped gardens and terraces to explore. About 14 miles away—in Pacific Palisades, near Malibu—the Getty Villa focuses on ancient Greek and Roman art, housed in a Roman-style country house.
Overall, the Getty features the personal collection of businessman and art collector J. Paul Getty, who saw art as a civilizing influence in society and sought to make it more widely available to the public. Through the work of the J. Paul Getty Trust after his death, the Getty museum now consists of five two-story pavilions featuring hundreds of pre-20th-century European paintings, drawings, illuminated manuscripts, sculptures, and decorative arts., as well as 19th-, 20th-, and 21st-century photographs.
Overall, the Getty features the personal collection of businessman and art collector J. Paul Getty, who saw art as a civilizing influence in society and sought to make it more widely available to the public. Through the work of the J. Paul Getty Trust after his death, the Getty museum now consists of five two-story pavilions featuring hundreds of pre-20th-century European paintings, drawings, illuminated manuscripts, sculptures, and decorative arts., as well as 19th-, 20th-, and 21st-century photographs.
Make the most of your visit to the museum complex. While there are no entrance fees for either the Getty Center or the Getty Villa, you do have to request a free ticket for the Villa, and you typically need to pay $15 for parking at either location. While that parking fee covers the whole car—a good reminder to carpool—there are a few other ways to both maximize that parking fee and your time at the Getty. See the thoughtful masterpieces that thrive outdoors at the museum.
In between exploring the Getty Center’s indoor exhibits, head outside to visit the museum’s expansive grounds and gardens. From carefully curated gardens to eye-catching sculpture displays (there’s even a garden devoted entirely to the humble cactus), the Getty’s outdoor spaces are both gorgeous and fascinating.
In between exploring the Getty Center’s indoor exhibits, head outside to visit the museum’s expansive grounds and gardens. From carefully curated gardens to eye-catching sculpture displays (there’s even a garden devoted entirely to the humble cactus), the Getty’s outdoor spaces are both gorgeous and fascinating.
