The Getty

1200 Getty Center Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90049, USA

Address:	1200 Getty Center Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90049, USA
Phone:	+1 310-440-7300
Site:	getty.edu
Rating:	4.7
Working:	Closed 10AM–5:30PM 10AM–5:30PM 10AM–5:30PM 10AM–5:30PM 10AM–9PM 10AM–5:30PM

Location

Photos 100

Reviews 6

Leonard Santos

This museum has it all- except for good management. What a pity. A glorious setting, wonderful buildings, great collections, and one of the most inept managers I have experienced. When you park and take the tram up the hill, the folks at the reception dont direct you to the tram, but let you wander around trying to figure out where it is. We did find it, not thanks to the dozens of employees standing around chatting it up. They you arrive at the museum and have to wait in a long line to get your headphone guide to the museum, even though, again, there appear to be lots of idle employees standing around, you guessed it, chatting it up. The one person handing out the headphones seemed to take about 5 minutes per person. Apparently, repetition does not result in efficiency here. Then you discover that the headphones do not work because the contact is bad. Others mentioned the same problem. When this is brought to the attention of the staff, they defensively tell you they check EVERY headphone before it is handed out. Yes, of course. Then you go the mens room and you find lots of dirt on the door leading out. I guess patrons do not wash their hands, and it is clear none of the hordes of employees standing around, chatting it up, is cleaning the mens room door. By the way, did I mention that the art collection is spectacular? Yes, it is. But given the Gettys enormous endowment and the hordes of chattering employees, they are doing a poor job of running this gem of a museum.

Anna Sanderowitz

If I am ever in the Los Angeles/Malibu area, I will not be visiting this museum. I will also discourage others from visiting and I highly encourage people to stop donating! This past week a friend of mine was a victim of cyberbullying. The bully was none other than an employee of the Getty Museum. I will not name names, but this employee tagged my friend in a group she was not aware she was a member of. The Getty employee and a group of her friends started to personally attack my friend by calling her a "redneck American"; telling her that she comes from "trash and low social class" and then stated that "All Americans have a low IQ"; "Chicago is a ghetto sh*thole" and then called my friend a "dumb Polock." This employee also falsely reported my friends accounts to Facebook once Getty Employee found out that we were going to file a complaint against her. My friends account is now suspended for 30 days. If the Getty wants to employ snobby, pretentious Europeans who despise Americans, (Americans who are the bulk of their clientale and visitors), then be my guest, but dont expect us to put up with your hate speech and bullying and not experience consequences from your representatives actions. Its great knowing what the Getty really thinks of us Midwesterners. We have better museums in Chicago anyway, and their employees dont harass and bully people on Facebook.

Kristen Booker

We recently visited The Getty. I cannot believe we waited so long to do this!! The museum is situated high on a hill in Malibu, California, with breathtaking views of Los Angeles and beyond! And would you believe its free!! There is a parking fee of $15, but believe me, it is totally worth it. From the parking area you take a tram (or you can huff it if you like) overlooking the 405 and L.A., up to the top of the hill and to the entrance of The Getty. The tram ride alone is worth the $15! From there, you enter the museum, where the exhibits begin immediately. You can do a 9 minute informational film, and I highly suggest you stop at the information booth for literature and a chat with the knowledgeable and friendly staff who can steer you in the right direction. There are also video tours, but we winged it and did great. From there, you enter the various buildings filled with sculptures, art, and beauty. Warning, do not touch anything, and some art cannot be photographed for various reasons. Always read the placecard by the art. If not, there are plenty of security nearby to tell you what you can and cannot do. I suggest bringing a picnic lunch and eating on the lawn surrounding the outdoor gardens. The restaurants are quite pricey and a bit lame. Dont forget to stop by the souveneir shop on your way out!!

Jason Lum

I cant help but think of my high school Physics teacher/ Swim coach when I heard the word "Getty". He was known for his no BS swimming practices and his funny physics problems involving monkeys, because monkeys are funny. No relation to my knowledge. Back to the review... I am not much of an art fan, but dang! How can you not like this place? This location is on a hill top far far above or around the smog. There is a crazy garden that reminds me of a puzzle maze or Alice in Wonderland. The best thing about this experience is its FREE!! Of course nothing is truly free.. there is a charge $10 bucks for parking. Feel free to load up your van or carpool with many people. The view is as beautiful as LA is to you. Not the same as the Hong Kong, New York, or San Francisco view. Still worth seeing. I recommend taking guest from out of town here as part of your LA tour and hit up Pinks, thats a given. I dont understand the art sculptures or paintings, but it worth it to take a camera (flash off) to take a few pictures. It is amazing work. Ive never seen such detail. At least take funny pictures if you get bored and enjoy the free A/C. You may want to bring a snack, because you might stay a while and cafeteria food can get pricey. The fun part is the tram that brings you up the mountain side. Take pictures and bring a date!

Don Weiner

The Getty Center is one of the best "hidden secrets in plain sight" in Los Angeles. Located just off the 405 Freeway, north of West LA, you cant miss the beautiful buildings as you drive past. Admission is free, but parking is $15 -- whether youre there for 1 hour or all day. Still, a great deal for the experience of seeing some of the most amazing artwork available anywhere in the world. The museum offers many traveling exhibitions as well, and theres enough variety to satisfy anyones taste in art. For example, on this visit there was section dedicated to the photography of Robert Mapplethorpe, as well as the Cave Temples of Dunhuang China. In fact, this exhibition included a replica of the actual caves to walk through, which gave a fully immersive experience into the history of the artwork. You can literally spend all day roaming through the various exhibit halls, and they even offer free guided tours throughout the day. Not only are the grounds absolutely beautiful, but the views of LA are just spectacular. I recommend that you arrive early (before 11am) as the parking structure fills up quickly. If you really want a special treat, make reservation at the full service restaurant.

Del Williams

Plan to spend the full day at the Getty. This museum is one of the best in the world. Everyone starts out with an orientation (yes, its that big) which tells you the history of the space and that of the original one in Malibu. You can borrow an iTouch which will give you the audio history of the art you are viewing by just pushing in some numbers. You must have an ID to borrow it. The campus also has free wifi for your use. In the middle of your art walk, enjoy a meal at one of the many cafeterias, or bring your own picnic lunch. The prices are middle to high depending on which one you choose. I had a 1/2 soup/sandwich combo and it was around $11. Why they call it a combo when no drink was included is a mystery. You can participate in active workshops where you can sketch paintings. Children will not be bored since they have lots of hands on things for them to do. Since we are in a drought in California, some of the water fountains are off, and they do add to the charm. Heres a fun fact: Star Trek (the new one) used the campus for filming. It was used as the Academy, mainly the outside. That is because it does have a very futuristic feel to it.