The Getty Center - Los Angeles, CA
N 34° 05.265 W 118° 28.583
11S E 363793 N 3772869
The Getty Center in Los Angeles California. Exhibits include pre-20th-century European paintings, drawings, illuminated manuscripts, sculpture, and decorative arts; and 19th- and 20th-century American and European photographs.
Waymark Code: WM6ZZF
Location: California, United States
Date Posted: 08/11/2009
Views: 30
The Getty Center, which opened in 1997 on a hilltop in the Santa Monica mountains, draws as much attention for its architecture as the art within. Its sleek off-white buildings, designed by Richard Meier, house European paintings, drawings, sculpture, illuminated manuscripts, decorative arts, and European and American photographs. The enameled metal and travertine structures cost about a billion dollars to construct.
The area that's open to the public consists of five two-story pavilions set around an open courtyard, and each gallery within is specially designed to complement the works on display. A sophisticated system of programmable window louvers allows many works (particularly paintings) to be displayed in the natural light in which they were created for the first time in the modern era. One of these is van Gogh's Irises, one of the museum's finest and most popular holdings - The museum spent $53.9 million to acquire this painting - Displayed in a museum that cost about a billion dollars to construct.
Entrance to the Getty Center is free - no reservations are required. Visitors to the center park at the base of the hill and ascend via a cable-driven electric tram. Cameras and video cams are permitted, but only if you use existing light (flash units are verboten).
There are a variety of art, architecture and garden tours available throughout the day. The tours last from 30 to 45 minutes each. A self-guided audio player tour, discussing the highlights of the art collection, can be rented for $5.
Realizing that fine-art museums can be boring for kids, the center provides several clever programs for kids, including a family room filled with hands-on activities for families; weekend family workshops; Art Detective cards to help parents and kids explore the grounds and galleries; and self-guided audio tours made specifically for families.
The J. Paul Getty Museum seeks to further knowledge of the visual arts and to nurture critical seeing by collecting, preserving, exhibiting and interpreting works of art of the highest quality. To fulfill its mission, the Museum continues to develop its collection through purchase and gifts, complementing its impact through special exhibitions, publications, educational programs developed for a wide range of audiences, and a related performing arts program. The Museum strives to provide its visitors with access to the most innovative research in the visual arts while they enjoy a unique experience in viewing works of art at our Getty Center and Getty Villa sites. While benefiting from the broader context of the Getty Trust, the Museum also extends the reach of its mission via the internet and through the regular exchange of works of art, staff, and expertise.
Admission to the Getty Center and to all exhibitions is free, no reservations required.
Parking is $15 per car. Free after 5:00 p.m. for the Getty Center's evening hours on Saturdays
The Getty Center is located at 1200 Getty Center Drive in Los Angeles, California, approximately 12 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles.
References:
The Getty Center Website: (
visit link)
Frommers.com (
visit link)