Research Institute

An international center for the study of visual culture

What We Do

The Getty Research Institute cultivates advanced knowledge of art and its varied histories through scholarship, collections, programs, and public resources.

Two people chat on a ramp leading to library stacks and desks in the Getty Research Library, while other readers and staff study or shelve books in the background.

Who We Are

  1. About the Getty Research Institute

    People wander in front of a circular modern building with a travertine courtyard on a sunny day

    Discover our mission and history

    Learn about our purpose

  2. Getty Library and Special Collections

    A person sits at a desk in a library and looks at papers on a book while another person standing between bookshelves flips through a book.

    Explore our research collections, including books, rare materials, and archives

  3. Research Programs and Tools

    Two people sit at a table in a library with books, notebooks, and a laptop. One person points to something on the computer screen with a pencil.

    Find grants, programs, tools, and databases that support research and scholarship

Exhibition

See all Research Institute exhibitions

Exhibition Lost. Found. Returned.

The story of how a drawing by Otto Greiner disappeared from Dresden during World War II and re-emerged in Los Angeles decades later

A drawing on brown paper of a nude male figure, seen from the back and cropped at the torso, surrounded by dark shadows. His head turns to the side and his left arm hangs over a ledge
Standing Male Nude From Rear and Re-Study (detail), 1892, Otto Greiner. Kupferstich-Kabinett Dresden, Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden

Events

See all Research Institute events

  1. Screening: Of Color and Ink

    Film

    Film title card with blue and green watercolors and the white profile of a man with a beard. The text "Of Color and Ink" alongside Chinese characters appears as an overlay.
    Fri, May 8, 2026, 1am

  2. Tastemakers: Earth Mother with Paige Emery

    Food

    A woman with long dark hair wearing a blue kaftan holds a basket of herbs in a garden
    Sat, May 9, 2026, 7pm

  3. Screening: MAINTENANCE ARTIST

    Film

    At a landfill, a woman in a worker's jumpsuit and vest shakes hands with a male sanitation worker in an orange vest in front of a garbage truck
    Sun, May 17, 2026, 1am

Explore Our Work

Project Paul R. Williams: I Am an Architect

Bringing the work of this groundbreaking Southern California architect to the broader public

Williams sits behind a table and points something out on a 3D model of a house to another person sitting with his back to the camera.

Finding Aid Simone Forti Papers

Notebooks, diaries, sketchbooks, workshop notes, and other archival materials from the postmodern dancer and choreographer

Black and white photograph of a person in a white shirt and pants doing an expressive dance in front of a group of seated people

Special Collections

Highlights from the archives of the Getty Library

Sepia photo of a man in a tie and trousers standing before a drafting table and smiling

Project The Scores Project

Interdisciplinary research into the international proliferation of avant-garde scores from the 1950s to 1970s

A white sheet of paper covered in hundreds of small symbols and drawings in black ink

Resources

Access tools, databases, grants, and initiatives that advance research, teaching, and scholarship in the histories of visual art and cultural heritage

  1. Tools and Databases

    Find free tools and resources that support research

  2. Getty Library and Special Collections

    Explore one of the world’s largest art historical research libraries

  3. Funding Opportunities

    Find grants and fellowships that support new scholarship

  4. Research Initiatives

    Discover our collaborations and projects that support art research

  5. Academic Outreach

    Learn about our resources, partnerships, and programs for faculty and students

A group of people listen to a person speaking and look at art objects in a laboratory

Publications

See all Research Institute publications

News & Stories

See all Research Institute news

  1. Punk Rock Playlist

    Article

    Pink paper with text: "How to become a Guerrilla girl! 1. Think of the name of a black woman artist. 2. Pass it on to a curator or collector."

    A curated collection of songs inspired by the Guerrilla Girls

    Apr 1, 2026

  2. Instructions for the Unexpected

    Article

    Open book spread featuring unconventional letter forms in black, white, and orange

    How a new Getty digital publication brings the experimental scores of John Cage, Fluxus, and the neo-avant-garde back to life

    Mar 31, 2026

  3. The Body on the Page

    Article

    A woman wearing all white runs alongside another person in white crawling on the floor.

    For iconic movement artist Simone Forti, the notebook was a private stage for a radical exploration of self that fueled a creative breakthrough

    Mar 25, 2026

Stay Connected

Get the latest updates about exhibitions, events, and research from the Research Institute

Newsletter

Follow us on

Staff & Contact

Senior Leadership

  1. Andrew Perchuk

    Interim Director, Getty Research Institute

  2. Susan Baldocchi

    Associate Director, Administration

  3. Kara Olidge

    Associate Director, Collections & Discovery

  4. Nancy Um

    Associate Director, Research & Knowledge Creation

  5. Khristaan Villela

    Associate Director, Dissemination & External Affairs

General Inquiries