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THINGS
TO DO IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA |
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Getty
Center Los Angeles Day Trip
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By Matthew
Martz |
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If you are looking for a place to visit where
the whole family can find something to enjoy, the Getty
Center is the perfect spot. Located in Brentwood (Los
Angeles) California, the museum features a collection
of European paintings, drawings and sculptures. Also featured
is a collection of 19th and 20th-century American and
European photographs.
The Center is located on a 24-acre hilltop campus that
is part of a larger 110-acre site in the Santa Monica
Mountains, 900 feet above the 405 freeways. The total
surrounding areas encompass an amazing and breathtaking
600 acres of pristine natural woodlands.
The Los Angeles skyline is visible from many points, and
on a clear day it is possible the San Bernardino Mountains
to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Plans were
first announced in 1983 and the following year, Richard
Meier was chosen to be the architect.
After years of delays construction began in 1989, with
the Center finally opening its doors in December 1997.
Building estimates stand at an astounding $1.3 billion.
It’s an architectural marvel by all means and worth
a trip for any student.
A modernist blend (with an homage to Neutra and Wright)
of concrete and steel; 1.2 million square feet of beige-colored
travertine stone from Italy was split along its natural
grain, revealing the texture of fossilized leaves, feathers,
and branches.
Accenting the buildings are 40,000 off-white, enamel-clad
aluminum panels. Light reflects off expansive sheets of
glass and creates varying effects depending on the time
of day. Numerous fountains provide calming sounds, with
plenty of benches available to sit and draw, or just admire
the surroundings. |
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Getty Center Museum Los Angeles |
When you first arrive, you enter through
the main gate. From there, you go towards what appears
to be a subway stop at the rear of the garage. It’s
actually an automated three-car, cable-pulled tram that
will take you on a scenic ride to the hilltop campus.
This is where you first get a glimpse of what’s
to come, as the ride ascends the 900-foot mountain and
offers a view of the freeway below. Not for the faint
of heart or those who fear heights.
As you first enter the campus you will notice five pavilions;
the North, East, South, And West and the Exhibitions Pavilion.
The Pavilion is for traveling art collections and various
Foundation artworks.
The permanent collection is displayed chronologically
throughout the other four pavilions: the north houses
the oldest art while the west houses the newest. The first-floor
galleries house light-sensitive art, such as illuminated
manuscripts, furniture, or photography, which rotate and
which cannot be on permanent display.
The second floors are connected by a
series of glass-enclosed bridges and open terraces, both
of which offer views of the surrounding hillsides and
central plaza. A tree-lined walkway descends to the central
garden, which was completed in 1997 and is 134,000-square
feet.
A stream of water crosses the walkway, through the plaza,
and over a stone waterfall into a round pool. More than
500 varieties of plants are used with a constantly changing
selection. The Getty Research Institute is a research
library containing over 900,000 volumes of rare books,
manuscripts, periodicals, artists' notebooks auction catalogs
and two million photographs of art and architecture.
Many informational tours of the campus are offered; the
Garden Tour is a 45-minute trip through the Getty gardens.
The Architecture Tour is a daily and lasts 45 minutes.
The Collection Highlights Tour provides an overview of
major works.
Exhibition Tour: The Spectacular Art of Jean-Léon
Gérôme runs daily through September 12. Gérôme
ranks among the most successful artists of the nineteenth
century. His spectacular pictures made him one of France's
most honored painters.
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Getty Center Courtyard |
Getty Center Tramway |
For the kids, The Family
Room offers a fun introduction to art study with hands-on
activities like mask and sculpture making, and art treasure
hunts. The programs are held throughout the year and are
free.
The Sketching Gallery, Located on the upper level of the
East Pavilion, allows you to sketch from original paintings
and casts of sculptures from the Museum's collection.
Visitors can cultivate their appreciation of the art on
display with the Getty Guide, an interactive audio player
system available for $5 at the Museum Entrance Hall, as
well as at several posts in the north, east, and south pavilions.
Researchers interested in studying the collection of photographs
can arrange an appointment at the Photographs Study Room.
Admission to Getty Center and its exhibitions is FREE all
day every day. There is no need to call for tickets or a
reservation. Just show up and enjoy!
The museum opens at 10 am every day but Monday, when it
is closed. The museum closes at 5:30 pm every day except
Saturday when it is open until 9pm. Most major holidays
are observed.
Group tours are encouraged. If yours has 15 or more, please
call ahead to arrange parking and a guide. >Words of warning:
the 405 freeway is under construction, so allow extra time
if you are on a schedule.
Parking is available at the center for $15 per car, no reservations
are needed. For the eco-conscious, public transportation
makes it easy to reach The Getty. Metro Rapid Line 761 stops
at the main gate on Sepulveda Boulevard. |
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Nixon
Library and Museum final resting place
of Richard Milhous Nixon. Yorba Linda. |
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