Dave has visited the Getty
Center and the Getty Villa. Also visit our section about other Los
Angeles area museums
here
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The Getty Center is one museum well worth visiting during your
time in Los Angeles and is one of the premier museums of Western
European artwork in the Southland. It is located off of the 405 freeway
at 1200 Getty Center Drive. As you are driving north on the 405 you
can't miss it; it dominates the hillside above the valley. The actual
Getty Center complex is constructed out of huge whitish blocks of
Travertine stone. If you look closely at these blocks you will see that
some of them contain small fossils.
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The price of admission to this museum is absolutely free! Parking in
their multi story underground garage is $7 per car (cash only). They no
longer accept parking reservations; as a result no reservations of any
kind are accepted by the museum. Note that the Getty Center is closed
every Monday. If you are planning on visiting the Getty Center during a
busy weekend or holiday, it is best to get there right around when they
open which is 10am. Otherwise traffic can severely back up for a long
ways on both sides of the Sepulvada pass - which is the main feeder road
into the museum. The exit from the 405 for the Getty Center is called
Getty Center Drive - and there is good signage for this exit. If you
arrive at Getty early, you will be directed to park in the lowest levels
of the garage. A nice elevator whisks you up to the tram station, where
you will go through a simple security check and then board the tram. The
tram ride is a smooth couple minute ride to the actual Getty complex
located on top of the hill. You will exit to the right of the tram; be
sure to stop at the kiosk and pick up your free map & guide as well as
the brochure detailing the architecture and garden area.
Dave has visited the Getty
center five times. Each time he returns it seems like they have
added to and improved their overall exhibits. The exhibits are
split up into four main Pavilions/buildings each designated with
a direction (N, E, W, S). Each pavilion contains a Plaza and an
upper level. In addition each pavilion houses a certain era of
artwork (i.e. the North Pavilion contains artwork before 1600,
etc.) All upper levels in each building contain only paintings. The Plaza or lower
levels sculptures and other artworks. The permanent displays in all
these buildings are collections of Western Art (mostly European & some
American). Some of the highlights are Rembrandts, Rubens, Degas & Van Gogh. An absolute must not miss are the original hand drawings and
designs by Leonardo Da Vinci. Besides the four buildings mentioned above
there is a separate building rotating exhibits.
Rembrandt's - An Old Man in Military Costume |
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You can use a hand held camera only (no tripods), video or still in any
of the main buildings. Flash photography however is not permitted. For
digital you can set your ISO setting higher to compensate for the low
light and in some instances for greater stability, balance your camera
on top of the seats that are scattered throughout the galleries.
Individuals who play the part of security, docents & or art buffs, are
stationed in uniform where they are always watching every gallery.
There is no particular order to the gallery - you can start with the
oldest artwork first or the newest or skip some if you like. Once you
get your fill of the artwork be sure to visit the outdoor gardens -
there are some great photos here - also great views on a clear day of
the Los Angeles Basin. Normally you can see the Century buildings from
the Getty overlooks unless it is really smoggy. Sometimes you can see
downtown on a clearer day.
Outside patio dining is available in the main plaza between the
Pavilions. There is also a restaurant and cafe next to the tram arrival
plaza.
For a complete reference on the Getty Center and its older sister the
Getty Villa (finally re-opened in early 2006!) visit
www.getty.edu
The Getty Villa is
located in Malibu right off of the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH)
about a mile north of Sunset Blvd. You can take the 10 west to
Santa Monica and then drive north on Highway 1 (PCH) about 5
miles until you exit right into the Getty Villa. The Getty Villa
is located at 17985 Pacific Coast Highway.
This museum is more intimate than its younger brother the Getty
Center. It is nestled in a canyon rather than perched on top of
a hill overlooking the LA basin and it is a much smaller museum
than the Getty Center. |
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It is built to resemble a Roman country house that was
buried by the ancient volcanic eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in Central
Italy. This is the original Getty museum and it features more than 1,200
works of art from the Romans, Greeks and the Etruscans. The works of art
consist of sculptures, carvings, antiquities and other ancient relicts.
The "Villa" closed for renovation in 1997 and reopened in early 2006
after a major 200 million dollar renovation project. The works are
organized by theme and are displayed in beautifully decorated rooms
throughout the museum. Allow at least 3-4 hours at the museum.
The Villa is open Thursday through Monday from 10-5pm, closed on Tuesday
and Wednesday. Tickets are free but *must* be reserved ahead of time on
their website. Tickets are extremely in demand and are often sold out
months ahead of time. Parking is $7. Umbrellas are provided to you in
case of rain - so no need to take your own.
You should start your tour of the museum with a visit to the orientation
film room - the film runs every 15 minutes and provides an excellent
overview of the museum and its collections. Events and guided tours are
given every day - you will be provided with a printed "event card" and
"gallery guide" before entering the museum. The museum is built so that
there is an excellent blend between the outdoors and the indoors. There
is a central open air courtyard with the rooms located off of this
central area on both the ground and upper levels. Be sure to visit the
"timeline" room located on the ground floor on the south side of the
museum - this provides an excellent historical perspective regarding the
Roman, Greek & Etruscan antiquities housed at the museum. A "Family
Forum" room is also a highlight if you are traveling with kids - it is
also located on the ground floor - you can learn how to be an "ancient
artist" through a variety of hands on displays. Lastly, consider picking
up a "Getty Guide" which is an audio player which will provide
information about the antiquities as you make your way throughout the
museum. This audio guide is available at the main info desk on the first
floor to your left when you walk in the main entrance.
| The main outdoor
attraction is the Outer Peristyle. This is where the famous
photos of the Getty Villa are taken. On a clear day this area is
absolutely spectacular. A long pool with statues at both ends
lies in the middle of gardens and walkways - all of which are
surrounded on the sides by columnar covered walkways and
brightly painted walls. |
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A cafe and museum
store
are located right next to each other, adjacent to the main
amphitheatre. In the summer, this outdoor amphitheatre is used
for a variety of productions including concerts, performances,
and lectures. |
Hand held cameras are permitted but you are not
allowed to use a flash.
For more information about the Getty Villa and to reserve tickets,
please visit:
www.getty.edu/visit |
