Unique gallery courses explore the fascinating world of art and ideas found in the Museum's collection and current exhibitions. Participants have the opportunity for close encounters with art through lecture and guided discussion.

Courses are designed for adults and taught by educators, curators, and scholars. Registration and tickets are required for all courses.

Enrich your Saturday nights. Join an open-ended discussion in the galleries to heighten your appreciation and understanding of the visual arts by exploring one masterpiece with an educator. The chosen work of art changes every session, making each visit a new experience. Course fee $25 per session (includes a food voucher and parking). Meet at the Museum Information Desk for course introduction.

Learn more about this program on our blog, The Iris.

Next in the series
A Masterpiece to Be Explored

Saturday, March 14, 2015
6:00–8:00 p.m.

Explore in depth the work of a featured artist or a stylistic movement related to a current exhibition. An educator presents an illustrated lecture, culminating with the guided viewing and discussion of art in the exhibition galleries.

Recently in the series
The Getty Villa
Lifestyles of the Rich and Roman

Sunday, December 7, 2014
1:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m.
Getty Villa, Meeting Rooms and
Museum galleries

Travel back 2,000 years with educator Shelby Brown to appreciate the self-indulgent practices, delicate arts, and elaborate architecture of wealthy Romans. Our models are the Getty Villa itself, a copy of an elite Roman mansion, objects from the Villa's collection, and the exhibition Ancient Luxury and the Roman Silver Treasure from Berthouville.

The Getty Villa
The Art of Byzantium: Origins and Influence

Saturday, May 10, 2014 1:00–4:00 p.m.
Getty Villa
Villa Meeting Rooms and Museum galleries

Sunday, May 18, 2014 1:00–4:00 p.m.
Getty Center
GRI Lecture Hall and Museum galleries

Share curators' perspectives on two special exhibitions of Byzantine art. Join curator Mary Hart at the Getty Villa to explore the Greco-Roman roots of spectacular Byzantine objects on loan from Greece. Then, at the Getty Center, discover with curator Elizabeth Morrison how Byzantine manuscripts inspired diverse cultural traditions from Europe to Ethiopia. Complements the exhibitions Heaven and Earth: Art of Byzantium from Greek Collections at the Getty Villa and East Meets West: Byzantine Illumination at the Cultural Crossroads at the Getty Center. Course fee $35 per session (includes refreshments); sign up for one or both. Complimentary parking.

Novice and seasoned museumgoers are invited to fully experience works of art in the Museum's collection. Educators direct discussion and the study of select masterpieces. Each course includes up to four thematically linked sessions, which take place once a month, usually on a Saturday morning. Attend a single class or the whole series.

Recently in the series
The Anatomy of Greatness: Michelangelo's Sculptures

Saturday, September 21, 2013
1:00–4:00 p.m.
Getty Center, Getty Research Institute Lecture Hall

Dr. Robert Klapper, chief of orthopedic surgery at Cedars-Sinai Medical Group, is a surgeon and sculptor who travels to Carrara, Italy, every summer to work on the same type of stone Michelangelo used to carve the masterpieces David and the Pietà. Join Dr. Klapper and art historian Robin Trento in this lecture and gallery tour exploring the ways in which Michelangelo and others use human anatomy to depict emotion. Course fee $35 (includes parking).

Enjoy an afternoon at the Getty Villa exploring the antiquities collection, gardens, and ancient architecture. Course fee varies.

Next in the series
Pets and Prey: Animals in Greco-Roman Antiquity

Saturday, March 21, 2015
1:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m.
Getty Villa, Meeting Rooms and
Museum galleries



Explore the Greeks' and Romans' relationship with animals, from beloved domestic pets to exotic predators and prey, with educator Shelby Brown. Learn about the many animal disguises assumed by gods in their pursuit of mortal women. Then tour the Museum to discover how animals were immortalized in varied media in both funerary and domestic art. Course fee $35 (includes refreshments).

Recently in the series
Love Stories in Greece and Rome
Saturday, February 14, 2015
1:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m.
Getty Villa, Meeting Rooms and
Museum galleries

Celebrate Valentine's Day with a visit to the beautiful Getty Villa to explore love in antiquity with educator Shelby Brown. Learn famous love stories and explore the moments artists choose to depict. Take tips from divine seducers and contemplate the powers of love charms. End with a tour of love imagery in the galleries. Course fee $35 per session (includes refreshments). Complimentary parking.

Stories for the Roman Dead
Saturday, January 24, 2015
1:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m.
Getty Villa, Meeting Rooms and
Museum galleries

Roman stone sarcophagi ("flesh-eaters" in ancient Greek) were coffins decorated with elaborate narratives of daily life and myth. Explore Roman burial customs and imagery with educator Eric Bruehl to compare funerary stories that still make sense today with others that reveal how different the Romans really were. Then tour the galleries to examine funerary reliefs.

See all upcoming courses and demonstrations on our event calendar.