The Getty Center

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OPEN NOW - Closes at 5:30pm

The whole Getty Center is just absolutely beautiful! The architecture is amazing, the gardens are gorgeous and there is a ton of different styles of art for everyone to enjoy. Even better, the museum is free!

The Getty has an incredible collection of art in a fantastically beautiful setting. One of our favorite things to do with visitors is go at opening and have breakfast or coffee and then tour the galleries and the amazing garden.

Excellent museum ,good exhibitions of art, also has a performance and film room, a family room in addition it has talks about the new discoveries on many cultures. I recommend it.

Amazing architecture, gardens and views. Bringing friends and family visiting from out-of-town is a must. The art collections themsevles are nice and I particularly love the French rooms and furniture. Nice cafe with decent selection of sandwhiches and salads. We avoid the crowds waiting for the trams and walk to the museum which is especially nice when the weather is beautiful.

I came in search of Christian art on Holy Thursday and found some high above the 405 parking lot.



I'll say it now: I'm hopelessly biased toward the Huntington, but it cannot be denied that the Getty has the more extensive and wide-reaching collection and the better views. This sidetrip was, without a doubt, far superior to class. But it's just so freaking busy! There's no such thing as quietly pondering the interplay of light, shadow, and subject when you're stepping on busloads of kids and listening to 30 foreign languages a minute.



The museum is famous for its labyrinth, but in reality the whole place is just one big labyrinth, designed to allow the visitor to completely lose himself in a raptured state of mind. It's an island of white travertine rising above a sea of scrub brush on an LA mountaintop, and indeed stepping off of the tram and into its massive courtyard does elevate the spirit a bit. And there are more than a few steps to climb. And yet for all the effort everywhere you turn you find something beautiful, something thought-provoking, or something just plain strange (for this last point that's usually the architecture of the place itself.)



For the benefit of the uninitiated, there are several galleries each covering a swath of history, ranging from before 1700 to the present day, as well as a selection of photographic works and furniture. Hand illuminated Byzantine Bibles, stained glass, and holy ornaments are to be found in one, while furniture, romantic portraiture, and landscapes are to be found in another. A "terrace" containing a deceptively large selection of photographic art (including a lovely Ansel Adams exhibit) is also to be found hidden off of the main cafe deck. And everywhere you look there seems to be a view - whether it's a gorgeous vista or a precious work of art.



They have a wide array of food and drink to offer, including wines and beers. But because of the impossible lines that proliferated at all hours of the day (and the fact that I prefer to enjoy my artwork while sober) I did not partake and therefore cannot comment on their quality.



The scope of the complex is positively massive, befitting the extensive collection of art that resides within. An intriguing blend of modern architectural sensibilities and eons old stone, for what it lacks in comforting welcoming quality it more than makes up for in distinction and energy. Like any great gallery, the Getty invites a spirit of adventure and exploration. It may at times feel a little sterile, and the surroundings a bit spartan for some of the more opulent and religious artwork contained within the collection, but its breadth and the promise of more discoveries around the corner make that shortcoming an easy one to overlook.



The crowds, however, are insane. Even on a Thursday. You have been warned.

LA's art scene is not like anywhere else. It does not thrive in backyards or ruins. Instead it loves to sit right on top of things. This is where the "Getty Center" fits just perfectly. Take a walk from the parking lot to the museum instead of taking the train to make the transition from "down there" smoother. Because once you are on top you'll find yourself in architecture wonderland.

The collection is so-so, the photography exhibitions are excellent and the view is stunning.

Love this place. Take all out-of-town guests here. Nice place to have lunch outside overlooking a LA canyon and view. Cafeteria is quite good, with gourmet faire and real plates/silverware.

Okay, you have to pay for parking, but after that, I MUST see!

Excellent art museum, beautiful plantings. You can't beat this place, which is tops in its class.