Explore the verdant gardens of the Renaissance from the literary Garden of Love and the biblical Garden of Eden to the courtly gardens of nobility—and discover the deeds both reputable and scandalous that took place there.

Whether connected to grand villas or common kitchens, gardens were planted in great numbers and treasured in all reaches of society. This exhibition of elegantly illuminated manuscripts depicting gardens of the period offers insight into how people at the time used and enjoyed these idyllic green spaces.

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Discover Los Angeles's rich yet often underappreciated built environment, from its ambitious freeway networks and sleek coffee shops, to its cultural destinations and experimental residences. View drawings, models, photographs, animations, interviews, and films in this acclaimed exhibition that explores and celebrates L.A.'s rapid transformation into one of the most influential industrial, economic, and creative capitals in the world.

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Overdrive and In Focus: Ed Ruscha are part of the Pacific Standard Time Presents, a citywide celebration of L.A. architecture and place running through July 2013. Sign up for PSTP updates »

On the island of Sicily, the crossroads of the Mediterranean, exquisite art, literature, and scientific innovation flourished, leaving an enduring stamp on western culture. The arts attained levels of refinement and ingenuity that rivaled, even surpassed, those of mainland Greece. Experience its rich history after Greek colonies emerged as formidable metropolises, and view exquisite masterpieces from Sicily's museums, including rare marble sculptures, coins, and other treasures.

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Don't miss Between Mozia and Lilibeo, Landscapes and Monuments of Sicily, an exhibit on view at the Italian Cultural Institute, Los Angeles.

Laconic and moody—two days in the City of Angels, from LAX and Koenig's Stahl House to the oil wells of Culver City. Director Franco Rossi's Smog (1962) follows an Italian attorney as he experiences L.A.'s eclectic mix of landscapes, cultures, social strata, and peculiar vocations. The first European film with the majority of its footage shot in Los Angeles, Smog presents a compelling outsider's perspective. Free; reservations required.

Complements the exhibition Overdrive: L.A. Constructs the Future, 1940–1990.

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Delight in the Getty Center's extended hours this summer! Our new Friday Flights series takes advantage of the magic of the Getty at night. June's event features a 1940s flashback celebrating the birth of modern architecture seen in the exhibition Overdrive: L.A. Constructs the Future, 1940–1990. Learn swing dance with aficionados Cynthia Harper and James Zimmer while Guns in the Sun spin retro tunes. Sip cocktails of the era, sneak in a screening of the noir film Kiss Me Deadly, create cities with artist James Rojas, or take a tour of Overdrive. Free; no tickets required.

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Hear the true story of the Monuments Men, a group who helped save art and culturally important items during World War II. Author Robert M. Edsel recounts how these men raced to find the location of billions of dollars of missing art and rescued some of the world's greatest masterpieces, including Michelangelo's David. Signed copies of Robert M. Edsel's new book, Saving Italy: The Race to Rescue a Nation's Treasures from the Nazis, will be available for purchase at the event. Presented in collaboration with the Italian Cultural Institute, Los Angeles. Free; reservations recommended.

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Tiffany & Co. in New York, Frank Lloyd Wright in Chicago, and Greene & Greene in Pasadena each integrated Japonisme in their decorative art and architecture. But across the pond in Glasgow, architect and designer Charles Rennie Mackintosh responded most immediately to Japan's influence. Join former Getty Conservation Institute guest scholar Neil Jackson as he explores Macintosh's Japanese-inspired Glasgow School of Art. Free; reservations required.

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The beautiful gardens at the J. Paul Getty Museum, the Huntington Library, and the Cloisters contribute to each museum's renown. But what role do the museums' art collections play in conceiving and caring for the gardens? A panel of experts from several institutions—Michael Dehart (Getty), James Folsom (Huntington), and Deirdre Larkin (Cloisters)—examines this question and discusses how historical landscape design has influenced the creation and development of these green spaces. Free; reservations recommended.

Complements the exhibition Gardens of the Renaissance.

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The coins of ancient Sicily are works of art, rather than simple monetary instruments. Classical archaeologist and numismatist Carmen Arnold-Biucchi of Harvard University reveals how these coins of unparalleled quality also tell stories about local myths and customs, providing a glimpse of the island's landscape and history not found elsewhere. Free; a ticket is required.

Complements the exhibition Sicily: Art and Invention between Greece and Rome.

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Christopher Hawthorne, Los Angeles Times architecture critic, examines the illustrious career and legacy of Ada Louise Huxtable, the influential critic who covered politics, real estate, preservation, and urban planning, producing detailed and deeply informed studies of new buildings. Joining the New York Times in 1963, she won the first Pulitzer Prize for criticism seven years later. Her name became synonymous with critical authority, showing up in a 1968 New Yorker cartoon and more recently on an episode of the TV series Mad Men. Free; reservations required.

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Delight in the sounds of madrigals from the 15th and 16th centuries and celebrate the gardens of the Renaissance at this day-long festival. Create a garden, fashion a floral wreath at one of the interactive workshops, and hear tales of distant kingdoms from long ago told by renowned storytellers. Complements the exhibition Gardens of the Renaissance. Free; no reservations required.

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N E W E X H I B I T I O N
– Gardens of the Renaissance (Through Aug. 11)

C O N T I N U I N G   T H I S   M O N T H
– Overdrive: L.A. Constructs the Future, 1940–1990 (through July 21)
– Japan's Modern Divide: The Photographs of Hiroshi Hamaya and Kansuke Yamamoto (through Aug. 25)

C L O S I N G   T H I S   M O N T H
– Looking East: Rubens's Encounter with Asia (through June 9)

H O T   T I C K E T S
– Talk: The Monuments Men, Nazis, and War (June 2)
– A Conversation about Surrealism in Japan (June 5)
– Talk: The Huntingtons in the Gilded Age (June 6)
– Family Festival (June 8)
– Talk: Architectural Dialogue Among Glasgow, Berlin, and Japan (June 12)
– Talk: Gardens in a Museum Setting (June 12)
– Film: Smog (June 13)
– Talk: Ada Louise Huxtable and Her Legacy (June 25)
– Special Summer Event: Friday Flights (June 28)

C O N T I N U I N G   T H I S   M O N T H
– Sicily: Art and Invention between Greece and Rome (through Aug. 19)

H O T   T I C K E T S
– Course: Circus and Arena (June 8)
– Talk: The Art of Coinage (June 13)

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