Getty Center – J. Paul Getty museum

The Getty Center, together with the Getty Villa, is one of the two venues of the Getty Museum in Los Angeles; it is dedicated to European and American art dating from the Middle Ages to the present.

Building and site
The Getty Center is housed since 1997 in a travertine stone clad modernist complex, located in the Brentwood neighborhood, in the area of the Santa Monica Mountains. The architecture of the campus was designed by the American architect Richard Meier, while its famous central garden was conceived by artist Robert Irwin. Along with the J. Paul Getty museum, the campus comprises a research institute, the headquarters of the Getty Foundation, and a conservation center. The J. Paul Getty museum is composed of six different buildings which encircle a central courtyard.

What to see at J. Paul Getty museum at the Getty Center
The permanent collection on view at the Getty Center comprises paintings, sculptures, drawings, photographs, manuscripts, and works of decorative arts.
The painting galleries showcase works dating from the Middle Ages to the 19th century, mostly by European artists, including Simone Martini, Fra Angelico, Carpaccio, Mantegna, Goya, Rembrandt, Titian, Veronese, Van Dick, Rubens, El Greco, Tiepolo, Canaletto, Poussin, Cézanne, Monet, Degas, Manet, Toulouse-Lautrec, and Van Gogh, just to name a few.
The sculpture and decorative arts galleries display mostly 17th – 18th century French and Italian works.
The drawings collection includes works by Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Rembrandt, Van Gogh, and Seurat, among many others.
The photographic collection is considered one of the most important in the world, with pieces dating from mid-19th century to the present, including works by Ansel Adams, Alfred Stieglitz, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Man Ray, Rober Capa, Diane Arbus, and Richard Avedon, among others.
Finally, the museum holds an exceptional collection of European manuscripts and illuminated books.

Additional services and activities
The Gerry Center is renowned for its diverse offer of activities, which include temporary exhibitions, educational courses and workshops, talks, screenings, concerts and live performances.
The center comprises a restaurant, four cafes and five stores. Picnicking is permitted in the central garden, south pavilion terrace and museum courtyard.

All images courtesy of The Getty