Top Things to Do at the Getty Center

Find something for everyone—art, modern design, unusual gardens, and spectacular city views

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Admission is free, and temporarily requires a timed-entry reservation.

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Illustration of Getty Campus site depicting locations with public access

Tram to the Top

Glimpse views of the Center and the city as you glide from main parking to the top of the hill. Keep an eye out for deer under the trees!

    • Location
      Upper Tram Station
    • Estimated Amount of Time
      15–20 minutes
    A boxy white tram pulls out of a covered waiting area with the angular white buildings of the Getty Center visible at the top of a green hill in the far background.

    The tram departs the Lower Tram Station to start its climb towards the hilltop portion of the Getty Center.

    Visitors walk from the open doors of a white modern-looking tram onto a stone plaza with green hills and a blue sky in the background.

    Visitors depart the tram at the Upper Tram Station at the top of the hill.

    Medieval to Modern Art

    Explore centuries of art, from the Middle Ages to today.

    • Starting Location
      Museum North Pavilion
    • Suggested Amount of Time
      60–90 minutes
    A person with a map looks at a sculpture in an art museum. A large, colorful painting hangs in the background.

    Museum Courtyard

    Get some air and take in the view of the Center's unique architecture and fountains. Drinks, snacks, or a light lunch are available at the nearby coffee kiosk.

    • Location
      Museum Courtyard
    • Suggested Amount of Time
      30 minutes
    Three women sit on a stone bench by a fountain with a large rock feature, talking and laughing, with a large, stone building with many rows of windows in the background

    Changing Exhibitions

    See world-class exhibitions featuring art from international museums and Getty's own collections.

    • Location
      North, South, and West Pavilions
    • Suggested Amount of Time
      30–45 minutes
    Large, circular, suspended sculptures brightly colored pink and blue hang from the ceiling of a large room. Large windows are covered in painted pink, blue, and orange translucent drapery

    Woshaa’axre Yaang’aro (Looking Back), 2023, Mercedes Dorame. Mixed media. Courtesy of the artist. © 2023 Mercedes Dorame

    Central Garden

    Experience a living work of art: Robert Irwin's Central Garden features relaxing water features, colorful plants that change seasonally, and an expansive lawn perfect for a picnic—or even a nap.

    • Location
      Central Garden
    • Suggested Amount of Time
      30–45 minutes
    A stream of water runs down a stone-line channel under foot bridges and lined by greenery.

    The stream walk weaves in and out of a grove of trees in the Central Garden.

    Rocks and stream leading to main garden

    The Central Garden features an array of colorful plants and various rock forms.

    Bougainvillea streams down from umbrella-like trellises, casting shade over sitting areas in the Central Garden on a sunny day.

    A popular place to relax is under the bougainvillea that cascades down the custom-made rebar trellises located at the bottom of the stream walk.

    Colorful flowers frame the azalea maze (not in bloom) in a large pool of water beyond which is a waterfall and the buildings of the Getty Research Institute.

    A walkway surrounds the azalea maze, which blooms a bright pink as early as February in some years.

    Getty Museum Store

    Take a souvenir of your visit home with you. Choose from postcards, novel gifts and toys inspired by art, and a wide selection of books for art and history buffs.

    • Location
      Museum Entrance Hall
    • Suggested Amount of Time
      20 minutes
    In the neatly arranged Getty Center Museum Store, which is flooded with natural light from the far windows, two women look at products.

    Visitors browse products in the Main Store in the Museum Entrance Hall.

    Plan Your Visit

    1. Visit the Getty Center

      Visitors walk in the Central Garden on a sunny day with views of the Getty Museum buildings and Los Angeles in the background

      Details about hours, admission, parking, and more.

    2. GettyGuide®

      Museum visitors share earphones to listen to an audio tour on a phone while looking at artwork

      Let our free app be your personal guide to the Getty museums