The Getty Center
A hilltop museum of travertine and gardens above Los Angeles - European art, a striking modern campus and sweeping city views, free to enter.
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Illustrative image - a scene in the spirit of the place, not a photograph of it. Real photos are below.
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The Getty Center crowns a hill above Los Angeles, a gleaming campus of travertine stone and gardens reached by a driverless tram, holding European paintings, sculpture and decorative arts, from Van Gogh's Irises to illuminated manuscripts. As much an experience of architecture, gardens and sweeping city views as of art, and it is free to enter.
What you actually see
- The paintings - European masters including Van Gogh, Rembrandt and Monet.
- The architecture - Richard Meier's travertine campus and pavilions.
- The Central Garden - the living artwork of a garden by Robert Irwin.
- The views - the sweep over Los Angeles to the ocean and mountains.
When to go
Year-round in the mild climate; a clear day rewards with views to the ocean and mountains. It is closed Mondays. Weekday visits are calmer.
Honest expectations
Entry is free but parking is charged, and it is a hilltop reached by tram, so allow time. It is a car destination in a spread-out city. The gardens, architecture and view are as much of the draw as the art for many visitors.
Nearby
West LA, Santa Monica and the beaches are below; the Getty Villa on the coast holds the antiquities.
What to pack for The Getty Center
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.
