The J. Paul Getty Museum – 1200 Getty Center Drive, Los Angeles, 310-440-7300
To get there, take the 405 (just north of the Santa Monica Freeway I-10) to the Getty Center Drive exit and follow the signs—you can’t miss it. The center is broken into four areas: the J. Paul Getty Museum, the Research Institute, the Conservation Institute, and the Getty Foundation. The museum hopes to inspire, the Research Institute is dedicated to advanced scholarships in the arts, the Conservation Institute works internationally to advance conservation in the visual arts, and the Getty Foundation provides support to institutions and individuals. Owned by the Getty Foundation (funded by the J. Paul Getty Trust, a billionaire oil magnate), this museum and center is located on top of a hill on 750 acres of land in the Santa Monica mountains. Opened in 1997, it predominantly displays European paintings, drawings, sculptures, photographs, and decorative arts. More than 70% of the museum’s collection is part of Mr. Getty’s own personal collection, whose main goal was to make the collection meaningful to a broad audience.
Parking is $7 per car, but that included entrance into the museum, which was well worth it. Parking reservations are no longer necessary or accepted, so you do not need to plan ahead. From the parking area, there is a tram which takes you to the museum and gardens. It’s quite a sight, to say the least, from the side streets below and even up-close. Everything here is in immaculate condition, and we found the staff to be extremely knowledgeable and very helpful. Designed by Richard Meier, the entire property showcases beautiful views of the city. Meier is an award-winning architect who used a few basic materials—metal, stone, marble, and glass—to create something that really stands above the rest. In fact, the way that some of the marble was cut, you can still see fossils buried inside.
We took the architectural tour (free), and the guide pointed out how even the trees were planted with precision (if you stand behind a tree and close one eye, you cannot see the other trees). The landscaping was designed by Laurie Olin, and it is spectacular. It forms an unusual balance between man-made and natural, predominantly using white and lavender to compliment the white buildings. Four full-time gardeners maintain over 300 plants in the extraordinary gardens created by Robert Irwin, with zig-zag walkways, cactus, and grass so green you think it’s fake. Panoramic views are offered everywhere, showcasing the city to the east, the Pacific to the west, and Palos Verdes to the south.
There are several dining options here, as well as a picnic area. The restaurant is a full-service dining room with reservations required. The café is a cafeteria, basically, with a ton of options, casual setting, and very inexpensive meals (surprisingly good!). The Garden Terrace Café is an outdoor coffee shop located on the museum level. Assisted listening devices, sign-language interpreters, wheelchairs, and strollers are all available on-site. With 1.2 million annual visitors a year, it is no wonder that this monstrosity was given a one-billion-dollar budget! This is a perfect place for a guided tour, if not of the museum, then of the grounds and the architecture. There are plenty of tour pamphlets available for free when you arrive, and they help you get your bearings and tell you what is a must-see if you are short on time.
Open every day (except Monday) at 10am. It’s a great place to sit and relax, people-watch, view some incredible art and unbelievable gardens, and learn a little something too. You think you are going to a museum to see some art, and what you get is an entirely different experience. This can easily be a whole-day affair, although some people who are less interested in art and more interested in the grounds can do it in less time. Highly Recommended.