If you haven’t been to the Getty Museum, you are missing out! The museum is not only an architectural masterpiece, it also has some of the best views of Los Angeles. Best of all, it’s free (besides parking). Due to how massive the museum is, I wanted to write about some tips for visiting. Whether or not it is your first time visiting the museum, I hope you can find these helpful.
I want to start out by saying there is a lot to see here. The museum itself is art work and it can be quite overwhelming. Unless you are planning to stay there for most of the day, I would suggest narrowing it down to 2 or 3 exhibits you want to see. For me this meant spending most of my time in the photography section of the museum. There is currently a wonderful Gordon Parks exhibit called, “The Flavio Story” that I highly recommend for anyone who loves photojournalism. There was also another photo exhibit called, “Once. Again. Photographs in Series” that I thoroughly enjoyed. Both exhibits will be on display until November 10th. Out of all the museums I have been to in Los Angeles, I would say the Getty has the most in-depth photo exhibits and it is why I enjoy coming here so much.
There are tons of tours so if thats your thing, definitely check one out. There are small pamphlets available once you arrive at the top of the museum that have all the tours and exhibits listed that are available for that day. The Getty has a few gardens but I recommend the Central Garden the most. It has exquisite flowers and is also a maze. P.S. it also make for a great photo spot (as does most of the museum if were being honest)!
Don’t be like me and go to the museum on a Saturday afternoon. This was a rookie mistake. Parking was hectic. The parking lot is massive but there was a traffic jam to get in and to find a spot. Either go on a weekday, or if you do want to go on the weekend the Getty doesn’t close till 9 pm on Saturdays. Go after 5 pm for a less stressful parking situation. The line for the tram that takes you the top of the museum will also be less crowded.
Parking after 3 PM will only be $15 ( Versus the usually $20). After 6 PM, parking goes down to $10. Another tip for parking is pay for your parking at the top of the museum while you are waiting for the tram to take you down to the lot! There are a few machines and they were empty so I took advantage of it. When I got down to the lot, the machines were being mobbed by the hoards of people who just got off the tram.
The Getty has a few food options however, I don’t recommend them. Not that I think the food would be bad (it looked and smelled good), it is just unnecessarily expensive. However, walking and looking at art does make you hungry. The cafe has some inexpensive snacks including a $2.75 PB&J. It probably won’t fill you up but it will definitely hold you over until you can get a whole meal. Feel free to bring your own snacks or meals. There is a grassy area for picnics and tables available.
Overall, enjoy the views the Getty has to offer! They are one of a kind. P.S. definitely wear comfy shoes! For more information on the Getty, check out their website. Will you be visiting any time soon?
