The J. Paul Getty Museum
Los Angeles · United States · Founded 1954
An art museum in California housed on two campuses: the Getty Center and Getty Villa.
1.8 million
Annual Visitors
250,000+ objects
Collection
2–4 hours
Recommended Visit
Richard Meier (1997)
Architect
About The J. Paul Getty Museum
The J. Paul Getty Museum, commonly referred to as the Getty, is an art museum in California housed on two campuses: the Getty Center and Getty Villa. The primary location is the Getty Center in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, which features pre-20th-century European paintings, drawings, illuminated manuscripts, sculpture, and decorative arts.
The museum's second location, the Getty Villa, is in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood and displays art from Ancient Greece, Rome, and Etruria.
Established through the trust of oilman J. Paul Getty, the museum is renowned not only for its extensive collections but also for the striking architecture of its campuses and panoramic views of Los Angeles.
The museum has an extensive program of temporary exhibitions, educational initiatives, and ongoing research into art history and conservation.
Masterworks & Must-See Highlights
The works that define The J. Paul Getty Museum — and why they matter.
Irises
Vincent van Gogh · 1889
West Pavilion
Painted in the garden of the Saint-Paul-de-Mausole asylum a week after Van Gogh admitted himself. The swirling blue irises became one of the most expensive paintings in the world when sold for $53.9 million in 1987.
Abduction of Europa
Rembrandt van Rijn · 1632
West Pavilion
A small but intensely coloured early Rembrandt — Zeus in the form of a white bull carrying Europa across the sea as her companions reach helplessly from the shore.
The Penitent Magdalene
Georges de La Tour · c. 1640
South Pavilion
A woman contemplates a skull by candlelight in de La Tour's characteristic chiaroscuro. The identification of the sitter as Mary Magdalene remains debated; the work's meditative power is not.
Collections & Highlights
Frequently Asked Questions
A small ask before you go
You've just explored one of humanity's greatest collections of beauty. Art has the power to move us, inspire us, and change how we see the world. But millions of people will never see beauty like this — not because the art isn't there, but because they can't see at all.
Preventable blindness, caused by conditions like cataracts and trachoma, affects people of all ages across the world's poorest communities. A small gift — for the cost of a museum ticket — can provide a simple surgery to restore someone's sight and transform their life.