The Getty

I don't know exactly when it became a dream of mine to visit the Getty Museum, but it did, and for years, I couldn't seem to make it happen.  I think it was mainly because I either couldn't fit it into our schedule when we were visiting California, or, more importantly, because the kids were just too little. This trip, I made it happen.  I am so glad I went.  While I did see a few children at the Getty, I wouldn't say the Getty has anything that would exactly hold a child's attention, unlike the High Art Museum here in Atlanta, which has a whole section dedicated to children. One nice thing about the Getty is that it is free, but you need to book tickets online in advance.  The only thing you have to pay for is parking, and if you arrive after 3 in the afternoon, then the price is reduced from 25 dollars to 15 dollars.  Once you park your car, you will go through security and take a tram to the top of the hill.  The museum is divided into 3 main areas.  The first is European Art, Sculpture, and Photography (not necessarily European).  The second building contains temporary exhibits, and the third area is the gardens, which are beautiful and overlook the city of Santa Monica to the west and Hollywood & Bel-Air to the East. You can easily bring a picnic and enjoy the garden and views, or visit one of the multiple cafes for a variety of food for purchase. The museum is named after J. Paul Getty, an oil industrialist and fine art collector.  In 1966, he was named one of the wealthiest Americans.  There is a second museum that bears his name, the Getty Villa, which houses Greek and Roman antiquities.  The Villa is located in the Pacific Palisades.  Unfortunately, we did not have time to visit the Villa. Avery seemed to enjoy the museum and was excited to talk about it with her art teacher, but Ivy was not thrilled to be visiting. She woke up in a mood.  I will just leave it with that! While I will say there weren't many pieces that moved me, the gardens alone and the view were well worth the visit.