Los Angeles: Getty Center and Gardens

Getty Center Campus

Building’s Curvilinear Design

Giant Travertine Slab of Fossilized Reeds, Mosses, and Algae

Travertine’s Fossilized Crystallized Bubbles Formed in Ancient Hot Springs

Natural Ravine and Tree-Lined Walkway of Stream Garden

Blooming Bougainvillea Arbors

Central Garden Overlook of Getty Logo formed by Floating Azalea Maze

Flower Bowl Garden

Waterfall into Floating Azalea Pool

South Promontory Cactus Garden

Close-up of Barrel Cactus

Van Gogh’s Irises Sold for $53.9 million in 1987

When we visited Los Angeles, California, last summer we toured the Getty Center and Gardens.  The $1.3 billion Center opened in 1997 and sits on a hilltop overlooking the Los Angeles basin.  Featured on campus are the Getty Art Museum, outdoor sculptures and fountains, the Central Garden, and the Getty Research Institute.  Buildings are covered in white Italian travertine that comes from the same quarry used to build the Roman Coliseum (look for fossilized plants, marine life, and crystallized bubbles in the stone).  The architecture is stunning.  On a clear day the view extends from the mountains to the sea.  Indoor spaces emphasize the use of natural light.  Masterpiece paintings on display include those by Vincent van Gogh, Claude Monet, and Edgar Degas.  

The ever-changing Central Garden is so exquisitely planned down to the last detail that it is registered as a piece of art in the Getty collection.  Even the way the soil is tilled is part of the master plan created by artist and designer Robert Irwin.  A fun television show called “California’s Gold” by Huell Howser features details and interviews about the garden: https://blogs.chapman.edu/huell-howser-archives/2008/01/13/getty-garden-californias-gold-10006/

The Getty Center was an all day excursion that far exceeded our expectations – it is a very impressive and amazing place to walk around.  It is a monument to both nature and culture.  And besides the parking fee, the Center is free!   Don’t miss this gem in Los Angeles.  More info is at:  http://www.getty.edu/visit/center/­­­­­

UPDATE:  The Getty Center escaped damage when a wildfire raged on a hillside nearby in early December 2017.  An interesting article about how the Getty Center was constructed to withstand fire and protect the art is at:  https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/12/12/arts/design/getty-center-fire-evacuation.html?smid=tw-share.  

An interesting article about fire-chasing beetles (genus Melanophila) is at:  https://baynature.org/article/fire-chasing-beetles-make-appearance/  Charcoal beetles are known by firefighters to follow smoke – they encounter them most often during cleanup operations when the beetles swarm out of burned out stumps.  There are even reports from the 1940s of beetles swarming people smoking en masse at California football stadiums!