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Posted by gabe Tue Nov 30, 1999 00:00:00 PST
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0 responses 0 comments I like art, but I’m not a connoisseur.   I had heard a lot about the famous Getty Center in Los Angeles and decided to travel down south to see what all the hype was about.
   
The Getty is filled with more than just paintings. Antiquities, drawings, manuscripts, photographs, sculptures, decorative arts and even gardens fill the center with beauty and elegance. But the center is about much more than the art hanging on the walls. The entire place is an architectural masterpiece perched above Santa Monica Mountain tops and designed to capture the eye of everyone from small children to adults.
   
Once I arrived at the Getty, just a two-hour drive from Bakersfield,  I rode a tram up the mountain to the center’s plaza.  Parking costs $7, but admission to the museum is free.
   
I was encouraged to see that the group visiting the same day I was consisted of a majority of Hispanics. Hey, what can I say?  I felt right at home. And as I began to explore the complex, I also noticed that tours in Spanish were available.  Although I opted out of one, it is something I would have enjoyed.
   
As I wandered from room to room at the Getty, I was overwhelmed by painting after painting as I made my way through the entire complex. The Getty opened at this location in 1997 and consists of six exhibition buildings and two outdoor garden exhibits, the Cactus Garden and the Central Garden. The Getty’s art collection was started by businessman, collector and philanthropist J. Paul Getty. He assembled a small number of European paintings, distinguished Greek and Roman Antiquities and a collection of 18th century French decorative arts.
   
The pavilions that make up the Getty Center are filled with works from artists such as Pieter Molijn, John Reekie and Louis-Gabriel Feloix Who are they?  I didn’t know, either, but don’t worry, the works of more well-known artists such as Claude Monet, Michaelangelo and Pierre-Auguste Renoir are also present.
   
Going to the Getty made me wonder how painters of the past must have done it. I had trouble water painting in junior high school, and I can’t even fathom how these artists could have worked with oil paints.
   
Once you are done with the interior of the center,  you might want to look at the many flora and fauna in the center’s two gardens and throughout the complex.  The flowers give the architectural masterpiece a more colorful and lively feel.
   
It’s a good idea to take a break at one of the three restaurants at the museum.  There is a self-service cafe, a garden cafe and a full-service restaurant. 
   
At day’s end, be sure to stop by the Getty’s gift shop and purchase a postcard of your favorite painting.
   
The Getty offers a wide range of programs for visitors of every age, including gallery talks, lectures, film screenings, concerts, and family activities—most offered in both English and Spanish. For a schedule, check online at http://www.getty.edu/museum...
  
 I have to warn you that seeing the Getty in one day is a big task. Although I did it, it was very tiresome, and I must admit that I feel like I did not get the full effect.

The Getty Center
1200 Getty Center Dr., Los Angeles

Take Highway 99 South to Los Angeles. Merge onto I-5 South and then take the fork onto Interstate 405 south to Santa Monica. Take the Getty Center Drive exit.  Go north on Sepulveda Boulevard and make a right on Getty Center Drive. 
The museum is open Thursday through Monday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.  Tickets are free. Avoid lines, and reserve tickets online at http://www.getty.edu/visit/ or by calling (310) 440-7300

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