The Getty Center

6/27/2011

I like how the admission is free...but the 15 dollars parking is a bit too much in my opinion. The art is great...and I don't remember how their food is like, so I guess it's not that memorable. The garden is beautiful though! The architecture is amazing! and the best thing is the view!!

If you're just visiting Los Angeles, this is one of the first places I'd suggest for you to go. :)

1/30/2013

Beautiful Museum! The art collection is not as extensive as the art collections I am use to in NY museums, but the layout and beauty of the garden is well worth the visit. The garden is very relaxing there are places you can sit. Overall, just a beautiful place.

Admission is free all you need to pay is parking which is $15. Also, the views of LA from the outside space are really amazing.

If you like museums and have not already been to the Getty you should plan a trip.

11/17/2011

I love this place to view art and attend public lectures on art. The Getty Center is my favorite place to hang out in Los Angeles. One tidbit that I discovered is that The Getty sometimes opens their new art exhibits to attendees on public lecture nights. I was fortunate to see their newest exhibit "Greeting from LA: Artists and Publics", a Pacific Standard Time series last night without the crowds. Awesome!

The admission is free. However, the parking is $15. Parking is free after 5:00PM on evenings with a public lecture or a Saturday concert series when The Getty is open late. I've taken the Metro bus to The Getty a few times and it only cost me less than $3 round trip, which made it more of a cost savings.

7/24/2011

This is an awesome place and I am way overdue for a review.  I have visited here with a few of my friends and have had a great time each time.  This time, I had the soap opera reality TV version, but still had fun.

My sister came out from NY to visit and see my kids, so this was one of the trips we decided to do.  This was the second stop of our trip and, because we had a short time here, we had to be organized.  Arriving at 3:00 with the kids, the sister, and my ex wife, we parked at P4 and quickly caught the tram.  After grabbing a quick bite on the lawn (bahn mi from Top Baguette), we proceeded to tour the gardens.

Tour guide that I am, I chose the route and we got through the special exhibits (middle age fashion - blah and the Cambodian art - cool) on our way to see the Impressionists (my favorite and a must see).  I especially like the haystack scene by Monet.  Also, always get a kick with the painting of "Man with a Hoe" by Jean-Francoise Millet.  Makes me *chuckle*.

Proceeded on to the see the Cuba exhibit, which was interesting but did not blow me away.  Also saw the Paris exhibit.  No wonder the peasants revolted...  :-D

A great date place, though I was dateless this time...  Liked seeing the smiles all around.

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  I've never seen a grass heliport before.

  I've never seen a grass heliport before.
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  Man with a Hoe :-D Jean-Francoise Millet

  Man with a Hoe :-D Jean-Francoise Millet
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  This seems so alive to me... Monet

  This seems so alive to me... Monet
• See all photos from David A. for The Getty Center

7/12/2013

What's there not to like about this place? Free admission, $15 for parking, great exhibits. My favorite was the European furnishings where they have things from Versailles & Marie Antionettes furniture. Truly a sight to see. The European oil painting sections were truly fabulous mostly French painters( I wonder why) well the French are ahead on everything especially in the artistic factor, furnishings & of course FOOOD

We ate at the Café the least expensive place to dine there & believe it or not the things we got were amazing. House made pizza on flat bread was crunchy & delicious & the Mexican style salad was delicious too with corn & black beans, jicama & cotija cheese. pricing was "ok" for a museum but quality wise was really fresh & made right in front of us!

12/21/2012

Picturesque architecture in a surreal atmosphere. The Getty Center has an seductive beauty that is almost out of this world.

The hilltop location offers sensational views of LA. It's an amazing place to watch the sunset. The architecture is spectacular and a highlight of the Getty. The attention to detail is immaculate. The curves of the walls mirror one another. If you look closely at the floors, all the lines of the square tiles line up exactly with those of the marble squares on the walls and on the pillars. Throughout the museum.

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  sunset at Getty

  sunset at Getty

6/5/2012

No admission, helpful, friendly staff, everyone was great!  Numerous tours throughout the day, AMAZING art.  I went during the Herb Ritts exhibition.  Started the day with an hour tour of he "highlights". Really great!  Had lunch at the restaurant which was very good (duck confit  and crab cakes benedict  - WOW) and then caught the "celebrity" tour (celebrities like Kings and Queens). Then we re- traced our steps to explore the highlights and see the Herb Ritts Collection. Ended in the Gardens.

There are so many places to just relax and enjoy the views.  Very well thought out layout.  Beautiful architecture.  

What a beautiful day!

2/24/2014

Without a doubt this is the finest museum in LA (no, I don't think LACMA is attractive or well run). But it is is also the most sumptuous, attractive, and sensuously appealing museum in the whole USA.

The Getty's primary epochs of interest are prior to 1850, while mine are 1850-1940. But even with this divergence, I am totally awed by the accomplishments of this temple to the arts. It's just a knockout in all respects. You could go there for the gardens alone, or just to admire the architecture of Richard Meier, or to take in panoramic views of LA--it's all just as wonderful as can be. Plus the fact that there is no admission fee and only a modest parking fee. How could you improve on that?

The food facilities also cater very well to the visitors. I had lunch at the Cafe and dinner at the Restaurant. Both were lovely, in different categories of course. The Restaurant is on the pricey side, but it is a gastronomically focused establishment. The Cafe offers simple, but good food. Even the movie theater is a wonderful auditorium where you can see films free of charge. You can't beat that!

Despite large crowds of people, the place is never hectic, noisy, or disrespectful. I'm not sure how they do that, but they do it very successfully. The opposite of LACMA in this regards, which features a Chuck E Cheese atmosphere.

My only suggestions to the management both, in fact, concern the Cafe. (1) Please change the serving system. We were queued in two very long serving station lines, while the majority of the other stations (and their staff) were vacant. This is inefficient. (2) There is very little to eat that has fish in it. Please fix that.

Thank you Getty for being such an amazing museum!

And Board of Directors of LACMA, please stop envying the Getty and start learning some good lessons from it. You could start by hiring some more kindly, polite, helpful staff. It would also help if you were to eat some meals at the Getty cafe and try to fix the abysmal situation at LACMA cafe and C+M.

2/24/2014

Great to go when you have visitors in town. Nice outdoor gardens as well as indoor exhibits.

4/27/2013

Getty Center and Griffith Observatory are must visit for first time tourists. $15 parking but free admission. Indoor/outdoor art with a great view of LA.

Don't use google maps because it leads you to the inaccessible southwest entrance. Try to avoid going there from 3-7pm traffic is deadly on the 405.

8/25/2013

The Getty Center is one of the places that is a must go if you are living in LA.  How can you miss that. Don't you want to see Rembrandt's and Monet's paintings.
The admission is free and there is plenty of parking $15 (if it ever runs out, you can park in the big lots across the street).
It's a great place to take out of town guests, a date, or just a nice place to hang out.

2/21/2014

If I could put a ++ at the end of those five stars I would! This facility was the host o a closing event for a travel trade show I attended. What a pleasure it was to visit and what fantastic care they took of us. I was fortunate enough to have a guided tour of the Hall of Impressionists, My favorite era. I will be back!

6/18/2012

To be honest, old paintings and such don't really interest me, and for all the museums I've set foot in, I have a bit of a short attention span (and now you're thinking, "Why on earth is this lady going to the Getty?"). However... in spite of all this, I actually do like the Getty, and I find it very easy to appreciate not only the wonderful collection of historic art that I honestly don't know anything about nor care much for, but also for its beautiful grounds, garden, architecture, scenery, and entertainment.

The architecture at the Getty Center is a piece of art itself, and if you ever have the time or even a modicum amount of interest in the topic, I highly recommend the 45-minutre architecture tour, which occurs several times daily. It's very informative and interesting, and ever since I've never been able to look at the Getty without seeing 30x30 squares and axes lines. I love the buildings, the beautifully designed open spaces, and the little details that come together in harmony to create such an open and inviting environment.

I've gone on the garden tour as well, and while it's somwhat informative as well in discussing the poetic design aspects of the garden, I didn't enjoy it much, as I preferred to enjoy gardens in a more organic, informal way, at my own leisure. The gardens are OK; it's not the most beautiful garden I've seen, but I still enjoyed it on my most recent visit here - the red poppies with black dots on the petals that reminded me of ladybugs, the beautiful purple alstroemeria (my favorite flower), a tree with big yellow flowers hanging down like lanterns. It's a fun, winding stroll, and worth taking a look at while you're visiting.

The views of the city are beautiful from the Getty on a clear day. Visit the Getty and enjoy the view during the late afternoon/evening, when the sun is lower in the sky and illuminating the land below from the west. Visit the upstairs, outdoor patio between the East and South Pavilions for a good spot to survey the view... the 405 freeway, Santa Monica, downtown LA in the distance, Catalina Island even further off, on a clear day.

Summer is the perfect time to visit the Getty - check the event calendar for the Saturdays off the 405 events, during which time you can enjoy free live music outdoors. I've been wanting to attend for a couple years, and finally made the trip this past Saturday, for Allen Stone. Had I known better, I would have brought a blanket and brought dinner to enjoy picnic-style, as many others did. Perfect way to enjoy the wonderful grounds and view during an evening at the Getty!

With regards to the exhibitions, I visited and enjoyed the current exhibitions in the Center for Photographs, since that's moreso where my interests lie. The current exhibit for Herb Ritts is expansive and interesting; the Cult of Celebrity and Picturing Landscapes exhibits are smaller and more confined. Don't expect much out of the Picturing Landscape exhibit, because I was severely disappointed.

Parking is reduced to $10 after 5 pm. Expect a lot of traffic getting into the Getty during the Saturdays off the 405 event... and even worse, traffic getting to the Getty in the first place is kind of a nightmare right now, with the construction on the 405 and Sepulveda. Be prepared, check closures, and plan your detours accordingly!

3/6/2014

Took a date here.. Was our first time at The Getty and we were both so awed by all that it had to offer. The botanical garden is absolutely stunning. Even though we aren't art buffs we thoroughly enjoyed looking at all the art pieces and being able to learn and explore some new things. The view of LA is quite a sight to see as well. Words and pictures can't explain experiencing this beautiful place in person.

8/14/2013

Free admission is a big plus. Exhibit spaces aren't the best. There are too many buildings and while there is chronology in the I order, the placement and lighting, all natural, doesn't display the art very well. Sometimes there is too much glare from the overhead windows to see a painting without having to find just the right spot, sometimes too far to catch the details.

The collection is rather specific. I think I expected a broader range of art, but it is mostly European from the last 5 centuries. Nothing very modern, which seems strange given such a modern museum building. The gardens and grounds are beautiful. Views of LA and surroundings would be beautiful except for LA smog.

10/29/2012

Love this museum!! Iconic LA landmark.

Its HUGE, FREE and I take immense pleasure in riding the TRAM up the mountain away from the world. Disneyland for art lovers on a budget.

I love the gardens.

Parking there is hefty $15 but during the week its easy to find parking in the nearby neighborhood and walk up.

Gorgeous views of LA... even if it is smoggy.

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• See all photos from Angela K. for The Getty Center

2/24/2014

Great cultural experience of fine art and historic master pieces. I particularly loved the sculptures. Great place for children too and very educational.
Admission is free, but you have to pay for parking which is $15.

1/30/2014

This was my first visit to The Getty since I moved to LA two years ago.  Admission is free but there is a $15 fee for parking.  The Getty requires visiting a couple of times to get through the entire campus as its huge.  Many interesting and one of a kind exhibits and spectacular views from downtown to the ocean.  There are many dining options throughout the campus.  Food is good quality and fairly priced.

6/20/2012

I agree.

With all the five star reviews.

Great place to visit and revisit.

10/8/2012

I really enjoyed this pristine museum.

The concrete... The stones... The statues... The white spaces... The superb art & placement of it throughout... Even the garden area, although, we didn't spend much time in this area when my love & I were here last.

The Getty sits on a hill, so the views of the city atop of the Center are magnificent. Hardly any people came up there to see it with us & we probably stood up there for a good fifteen minutes.

Most people were considerate & kept a low voice during our viewing, but there were several paintings that I just wanted to stare at for a while.

Cameras weren't allowed in some places.

Admission is free, but parking is $15, so carpool!

Because it is so close to Sunset Blvd (& because of current CONSTRUCTION in that area), getting there seems like an eternity.

8/10/2011

Not bad, not bad at all LA. Visited here on Saturday after lunch in Little Tokyo. Super gorgeous and super jealous I didn't have appropriate picnic stuff. Things to keep in mind:

-Parking is super miserable. The wait to get in took forever, and looking for parking was also a pain.
-Parking also cost $15. But the actual museum is free!
-A bit confusing on the exhibits I could and couldn't take photos at. Oh well.
-Lots of families and little kids running around on the grass. No worries, they provide picnic blankets.
-DO NOT FORGET YOUR CAMERA. You might regret it. I took such amazing photos here.
-Live music, and a small cafe for food. Not to mention, LA sunshine and pretty scenery. Hip hip! Hurray!

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• See all photos from Jessica H. for The Getty Center

9/12/2012

Super awesome and its free! You just have to pay for parking which is $15. It's pretty cool when you take a tram up the hill to actually get to the museum, I wasn't expecting that.

I ate at the cafe, and the Mexican food was pretty good. I just had two veggie tacos and they were huge. Id recommend getting the mini tacos.

Other than that, this place is beautiful, got lost around the huge buildings. Didn't get to see the Klimt exhibit because I couldn't find it.

Nice garden area where you can sit and have a picnic.

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  Museum is on a huge rock. Pretty dope scenery.

  Museum is on a huge rock. Pretty dope scenery.

10/3/2012

This place is soooooooooooo gorgeous. The layout of the museum is amazing. It's so modern and chic and just screams, gorgeous scenery and amazing exhibits.

The gardens are beautifully designed so that you can stroll through them while admiring the different plant life. So many people taking photos of everything. I started to do the same 'cause you seriously cannot feel compelled NOT TO (or can you).

The exhibits were nicely (AC'ed) lit to match the mood of each room and of what the paintings represented. I was surprised to find a few that I actually recognized.. which doesn't happen often. lol Some of the exhibits let you take photos (without the flash) and some don't. I guess it depends on the security though, 'cause I did see some people snapping away while others were being told not to. =/ I find that the most well known exhibits were in the.. North and West Pavilions I believe? The South and West Pavilions were a little less thrilling to me (not an artsy history person..thing) but I do have to say, the amount of time and everything spent on these displays... It's insane.

To give you the cliff notes version:

Gardens. Go. Take photos. Make you say, WHOAA.
Art exhibits. North and West = go go go for sure. South and East = go if you really want to.

Free admission. You only pay for parking which isn't soo bad.. Just carpool!

5/30/2012

Awesome if you enjoy art & gorgeous views.

Everytime I come here they have different things to see. You can also admire the hills surounding and can also enjoy the ocean on the West side...!

The building itself is to admire... The garden is absolutely romantic and so alive...!

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  The View from the 405 fwy

  The View from the 405 fwy

7/10/2012

I always recommend the Getty to anyone that is visiting LA for the first time. Why? Cause it's "free" (you have to pay for parking), a lot of really amazing pieces, and the beautiful gardens.

Even though you can bring your own food and have a picnic, I still don't mind getting something at the cafe. I use to take classes here, so I can attest to the yummy-ness of the food.

I mean, just go already.

8/17/2013

Free admission is a plus. The Getty Center is huge , you can get lost easily so keep an eye of your friends if you come with someone.  The Center has an amazing view of the city ,the location is another plus the Hills in Brentwood , the day that i have visited it was not so crowded , no lines. The Garden is amazing , actually better than that one in the Getty Villa.
Upon what exhibit you want to see , you have to choose your visit day . The only thing you have to consider is parking , you can park outside the Center to save some bucks or come with friends and share the parking cost (15 dollars).

8/1/2013

Free entrance, just pay parking.

I enjoyed the tram ride from the parking garage to the Getty. I still cannot figure out how it floats along. The Getty Center is large and interestingly designed. There is a lot of walking to be done.

There are several different buildings that house different genres of art. Most of what I saw were paintings. The cafe food was pretty good. The botanical garden was somewhat lacking in pizazz, but it was a nice walk.

9/20/2012

The Getty Center is really cool!

The last time I was here was when I was really little...and truth be told I don't remember what I saw or what I did.

Now I'm 22, and what drew me back to the Getty was a lecture by Eric Kandel - author of "The Age of Insight," and one of the authors of the almighty neuroscience textbook "Principles of Neuroscience." I'd have to say, the lecture was amazing! Located in the main lecture hall, his lecture covered various artists and cognitive scientists in 1900s Vienna, and how art and neuroscience complemented each other.

Apart from this stunning lecture, I admired all the artwork, starting from the sculptures above the visitors parking lot and continuing with those outside the center. Granted, since I came for the lecture, it was late, and the center itself had closed for the evening. I still had an amazing time there, and look forward to returning here for the exhibits and for satiating my artistic thirst!

9/16/2012

The Getty Center is some place I have to get to more often. Living in LA you forget how many great resources for enrichment we have here.

The grounds and the views are AMAZING! That alone is worth the trip. The exhibits are beautifully done and they give you an iPod with voice narration for your individual tour.

Get out of the house and do something different. What do you usually do? Go to a movie or have dinner out? Big deal! This place is cheaper than either of those options and you'll have a fantastic time.

4/11/2012

I love The Getty so much!  What an amazing place to spend the day at.

I like to go on a clear, sunny day to really appreciate the garden, the outdoor areas and the amazing Los Angeles view.  I usually will arrive early, grab some coffee and a baked good and relax outside for a bit before heading into an exhibit.  They sell wine as well and is an amazing way to end the day...wine and a view!  

They always have new exhibits...so check out their website.  The Getty is a great place to bring out of towners, relax with a book and picnic, or to peruse some lovely art.

If it is your first time at The Getty, I highly recommend going on the tours because you will find out the history and some interesting facts about this amazing place!

7/28/2013

The Getty Center is a beautiful place to spend a day out, and a wonderful place to take out-of-town guests.  The art museum is quite extensive and the gardens are gorgeous.  Really nice views of Downtown Los Angeles from the garden and nice views of the Santa Monica Mountains from the tram drop-off area.  

The only reason I'm giving it four stars and not five is because I was really disappointed in the special exhibit that I went to see, which was based on the "history" of architecture in Los Angeles.  Hopefully the next special exhibit will be better.

5/31/2013

What can you not love about the Getty?  If Van Gogh's Irises doesn't inspire you, their gardens should.

5/29/2012

Wow - a must visit while in LA!  And I'm not even that fond/knowledgeable of art.  Definitely a worthwhile $15 spent for parking (Free admission!).  

After parking, a quick tram ride (overlooking the 405 and all its traffic) takes you up to the Getty Center.  As soon as you arrive, you begin to appreciate the amazing architecture.  The Getty Center uses its amazing location well - with tons of beautifully designed outdoor space, terraces, sitting areas, and gardens with outdoor sculptures.
Beautiful architecture!!!!  I could have just sat or wandered around outside all day long... unfortunately the Central Garden was still closed for renovation during our visit.

But you're here for the art, right?  We thoroughly enjoyed the temporary Herb Ritts L.A. Style exhibit.... but meandered rather quickly through some of the other exhibits.  You can justify $15 for a few hour visit - or spend a full day here if you can truly enjoy and appreciate art.

9/6/2012

What a gem.

The Getty Center is gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous, and welcoming to all, whether you're just a high school kid wanting to check out some free art or a highballing connoisseur who dropped a few thou' in donations to the Getty. Free museums are few and far between, but a free museum with breathtaking views of an entire city, and rooms of Picasso and Monet, along with contemporary paintings, sculpture, and photography are another species altogether.

I'd recommend scouting out a good exhibition (I visited during the Gustav Klimt one, in which several of his simple pencil sketches were put on display), packing a lunch and spending the whole day wandering through the various galleries and then eating on one of the terraces. This would also be a great place to bring well-behaved kids, since the tram-ride that brings you up to the Getty from the parking lot is an experience unto itself.

Note: While the museum is free, they gotta make money somehow, so they charge $15 per car for parking -- all the more reason to carpool and reduce that LA smog.

9/22/2013

Are you a person of color? Then come and experience the art and atmosphere of imperialism! Get hassled by petty, power-tripping, bureaucrats dressed up as security guards! All for the low, low price of $15.

Seriously, I've been here three times. Twice with my husband, who is a person of color, and once with a couple of white people. Both times I came with my husband, security harassed us for no reason whatsoever. The first time security harassed us because we were pointing at specific aspects of a painting - not touching it, not setting off any alarms, not putting our fingers anywhere near the art,  not standing too near it; but simply pointing at the artist's use of light and shadow.

Today we apparently had the wrong stroller. The security guard at the bottom of the tram (nastily) gave us the third degree about our stroller an then told us we might have to check it in the museum and get a "proper" stroller. Whatever, unpleasant but not the end of the world. Except they called ahead and had a senior security officer waiting for us at the top of the tram ride to further harangue us about our stroller. You'd have thought we were carrying six-shooters, throwing stars, or weapons-grade lasers for the fuss they made over a non-regulation stroller. It ruined our trip. We turned around and went home. Spent $15 to take a tram ride up and down the hill.

Yet the time I went without my husband? Totally uneventful, despite the fact that the people I was with pointed and strolled up a storm. Never again. I'm just glad my son is too young to remember this.

7/15/2013

Beautiful contemporary structures. Serene garden. Wonderful art collection.
The traffic is horrendous but it's worth the trip some times. Get there early, visit the galleries, stop by the research institute, then set up a picnic on the grass and watch the sunset.

3/20/2014

I only heard about it by internet but when we decided to check and take a look at it I was Stunned! That if you heart ART.  It was a lovely and dreamy place.  When you get out of the parking lot a tram will pick you up and take you uphill to where the museum and all its greatness are located. Entrance is totally free but you have to register to get an iPod to listen to the Art description tour. The garden is beautiful; you can sprawl, lay and sit to read books or just do some sun-tanning.  The parking fee depends on how long you stay, but expect to spend about $15.   It's very modern and pretty. The galleries have such fine art, the staff is very friendly and the gardens are so pretty and very well designed. You have an amazing view of the 405 freeway and everything around it.  You can take pictures almost of everything (no flash). Someday I hope to visit them again, its art heaven in SoCal.

7/20/2013

I like the Getty, they have a lot of beautiful art but the real story here is the building and the views you get from the building.  Amazing!
Great from the whole family!

12/8/2013

One of the most beautiful museums I have ever been to! Always worth a trip! You can actually walk back to the parking garage if you dont want to wait in line for the train.

7/28/2014

Beautiful views. Clean. Lots of things to see.  Great day to spend inside and out.  Recommended for all who visit LA.