Getty Center

Introduction

The Getty Center stands on a hilltop in Brentwood on the west side of Los Angeles. It was built from the bequest of oil executive J. Paul Getty, who died in 1976, and opened on December 16, 1997 on a 24-acre campus that welcomed more than 20 million visitors in its first 25 years. Pritzker Prize winner Richard Meier designed it, cladding the complex in travertine quarried at Bagni di Tivoli near Rome - about 16,000 tons of stone. Visitors park at the base and ride a free driverless electric tram uphill, and that approach is part of the experience: the white complex only comes into view as you emerge from the trees. The collection spans European painting, drawings, sculpture, decorative arts, manuscripts and photography from the 8th century to the late 20th, with Van Gogh's Irises - painted in part alongside Theo - and Monet's Impression, Sunrise among the headline works. At the heart of the site is the Central Garden, created by artist Robert Irwin in 1999, whom the Getty describes as conceiving it as a sculpture; its plantings and colour change with the seasons. Upper terraces look out over the Los Angeles basin to the Pacific and the Santa Monica Mountains. One important caveat: a major modernization programme is under way, with all East and North Pavilion galleries plus several South and West Pavilion galleries currently closed, so parts of the permanent collection are off view - check current displays before travelling for a specific work. Classical art lovers can also book the Getty Villa by the coast, 20-45 minutes away by car.

✨ Highlights

🛈 Practical Info