The Getty Center sits more than 800 feet above sea level, towering above the city of Los Angeles. A 0.75-mile-long tramway takes visitors to the top of the hill. At the top, four exhibit pavilions and a visitor center form the heart of an eleven-building complex. The museum was originally constructed to the vast art collection belonging to oil tycoon J. Paul Getty. Today, it is stocked with so many art works that the exhibit arenas can show just a part of them at a time, making the special exhibitions a highlight of any visit to the Getty.
The Center’s award-winning architect, Richard Meier, did an outstanding job of creating a public space that has many visitors. Visitors go to the Getty thinking they are visiting a museum with works of art on the inside. What they discover instead is a work of art with a museum inside. The idea is interesting: The outdoor space can be a completely satisfying experience.
Meier took a few basic : metal, stone and glass. Working with a billion-dollar budget, he combined them to create a work of architecture that can excite visitors as much as the art collection inside does. Around every corner and at every , there is a new view to enchant guests. And then, just when they think they have seen it all, a new fountain or landscape pops up.
The building stone is travertine, from Italy, the same source as for the historic buildings in Rome. A special cutting process exposes the fossils long buried inside the stone, which reveals the delicate treasures under the rough surface. Some of them are set as “feature” stones scattered about the site, waiting to those who find them. The most fantastic one is on the arrival plaza wall, across from the tram station.
In addition to museum tours, the Getty also provides various free on-site tours, including tours of the gardens. These are a must for anyone interested in learning more about Meier’s techniques and ideas.
