Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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Visitors to the center park at the base of the hill and ascend via a cable-driv en electric
tram. On clear days, the sensation is of being in the clouds, gazing acr oss Los Angeles
and the Pacific Ocean (and into a fe w chic Brentwood backyards). If you're like me and
don't remember a thing fr om your college ar t-appreciation class (like I ev en went), get
one of the ne w G ettyGuide A udio G uides at the information desk. The nifty device
allows visitors to take their own guided tour through the Getty Museum. The 45-minute
human-led architectural tours, offered throughout the day, are also wor th looking into.
Dining options include several espresso/snack carts, a cafeteria, a self-service cafe, and the
elegant (though informal) “R estaurant” offering table ser vice for lunch ( Tues-Sun) and
dinner (Fri-Sat), with breathtaking views overlooking the ocean and mountains (restau-
rant reservations are recommended, though walk-ins are accepted; call
&
310/440-6810
or make reservations online at www.getty.edu).
Realizing that fine-ar t museums can be boring for kids, the center pr ovides several
clever pr ograms for kids, including a family r oom 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.
Entrance to the G etty Center is fr ee and no r eservations are required. Cameras and
video cams are permitted, but only if y ou use existing light (flash units ar e
verboten
).
1200 Getty Center Dr., Los Angeles.
&
310/440-7300.
www.getty.edu. Free admission. Tues-Thurs and
Sun 10am-6pm; Fri-Sat 10am-9pm. Closed major holidays. Parking $15.
The Getty Villa Malibu
Kids
After 8 y ears and $275 million in r enovations,
the magnificent Getty Villa is receiving guests again. As the Getty Center was the cultural
coup of 1997, a ticket to the ne wly renovated Villa is still one of the most sought-after
items in the city. This former residence of oil tycoon J. Paul Getty, built in 1974 on the
edge of a Malibu bluff with dazzling views of the ocean, was modeled after a first-century
Roman country house buried b y the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in a.d. 79—the Villa
dei Papiri in Herculaneum, Italy. In fact, as you enter the sun-filled inner cour tyard, it's
not har d to imagine toga-clad senators wandering the gar
7
dens wher e fountains and
bronze busts occupy the same spots as the original villa.
The museum's permanent collection of Greek, Roman, and Etruscan artifacts—dating
from 6500 b.c. to a.d. 400—consists of mor e than 1,200 works in 23 galleries arranged
by theme, and five additional galleries for changing exhibitions. Exhibits on display range
from everyday items such as coins, je welry, and sculpture to modern interactive exhibits
that illustrate key moments in the histor y of the ancient M editerranean. H ighlights
include
Statue of a Victorious Youth,
a large-scale br onze discovered in an A driatic ship-
wreck that is kept in a special climate-contr olled room to preserve the metal (it's one of
the few life-size Greek bronzes to have survived to modern times), as w ell as a beautiful
450-seat open-air theater where visitors are encouraged to take a break. And for keeping
the kids entertained, the Villa's education team created a hands-on space called the Fam-
ily Forum where children can partake in art-related activities.
Tips
Seeing the Getty Without the Crowd
Avoid the masses at the Getty Center by visiting in the late afternoon or evening;
the center is open until 9pm Friday and Saturday. The nighttime view is breath-
taking, and you can finish with a late dinner on the Westside.
