How to Enjoy the Getty Museum with Kids

Perched high on a hill overlooking Los Angeles, the Getty Center offers incredible architecture, world-class exhibits and an enchanting garden. You might not think of the Getty as a museum for children, particularly since there are many child-centered museums in L.A., but you will absolutely love the Getty Museum with kids! There are lots of wide open spaces for little ones to run around, the galleries are not crammed full of objects so you’re not constantly worrying that your tot will run into something, and they have kid-focused activities to keep them engaged throughout your visit. You can easily spend an entire day at the Getty and, as it is FREE (you only pay for parking), it’s one of the best deals for families in Los Angeles!

Quick Tips:

• Bring a sweater or light jacket – the museum is up high and can be cooler than the rest of L.A.
• Bring sunscreen – you’ll spend a lot of your visit outdoors
• Pack a picnic! There are outdoor places to eat if you don’t want to spend money on food.
• Don’t forget your camera! This museum is a photographer’s dream.
• Go on a Saturday when they’re open late so you can stay and watch the sunset!

Getting to the Getty:

• Driving: This is an easy to find spot in L.A. It’s right off of the 405 freeway, and there’s an exit called Getty Center Drive (going north or south) that takes you straight to the parking lot. Parking is $20, but it’s cheaper as the day goes on (after 3 and then again after 6). Also, parking is the only thing you pay for, the entrance is free.
• Public Transportation: There is no metro that takes you to the Getty, but you can take the bus. As with anywhere in L.A., you can always use the metro trip planner.
• Bus Routes: From downtown take the #2 or #302 west on Sunset to Sunset and Hilgard (at UCLA), then transfer to #734 to Getty Center Drive. From the Westside, take the #720 to Wilshire and Westwood Blvd., then transfer to #734 to Getty Center Dr.
• Ride-sharing: While Uber or Lyft might not be a super cheap way to get to the Getty, it will be much faster than public transportation and at least you won’t pay for parking or admissions once you get there.
• Once you arrive, you will go through security and board the tram up to the Center. There is a walking path, but the tram gives you a spectacular view as you ride up!

What to see and do at the Getty:

Every time I go to the Getty I see something different. This is a museum you can visit over and over because there is so much to see and do! First of all, there are many changing exhibits. Secondly, they offer tours, talks and performances, so there is always something going on. I’ve gone to the museum on occasion without ever actually going inside! (Not that I recommend that, unless you live nearby and can visit multiple times.) I won’t list every single thing to see at the Getty, as you can get the brochure and map when you get there, but I will include what I consider the highlights of the Getty museum with kids:

• Introductory film: The film plays continuously at the entrance. It’s only 10 minutes but it gives a great history of the collection, J. Paul Getty’s vision for his museum, and the construction of the building.
• Changing exhibits: There’s always something new and interesting at the Getty, so plan to explore some of the temporary exhibits. I just went to the “Book of Beasts: The Bestiary in the Medieval World” exhibit and it was fantastic! My daughter was captivated by the centuries-old illuminated texts featuring creatures like unicorns and griffins! It was like a real-life historical Harry Potter display for her.
• Getty Guide: This audio/multimedia tour is free and gives great information on the various pieces and exhibits. It is also child-friendly.
• Paintings: There is a variety of painting exhibits; my favorite is the Impressionists. It’s at the top of the West Pavilion. One of the most famous pieces they feature is Van Gogh’s Irises.
• Photography: The Center for Photographs always has interesting photography exhibits, both historical and contemporary.
• Tours: The Museum offers free tours every day of the architecture, the gardens and the collections. The topics and times can be found in the “Today at the Getty Center” sheet that you’ll get as you board the tram.

• The Gardens: Save time to walk through the incredible gardens! The landscaping is magical, and the garden overflows with vibrant colors and scents. This is a great way to break up the exhibits with little kids who need to get some outdoor time, and it is heaven for photographers.
• The Architecture: I highly recommend taking an architecture tour, but even if you don’t, you can’t help but be intrigued by the layout and structure of the buildings. Every corner offers a surprise – so much of it seems to be ideally framed for taking pictures or catching the view.

What to do at the Getty Museum with Kids:

All of the things I mentioned above are great with kids, but there are also specific, child-centered exhibits and activities.

• The Family Room: This interactive display allows children to explore and create art. It’s made up of several little rooms, each one planned around one work of art and offering a hands-on activity. The family room is probably best enjoyed by kids ages 4-12.
• Be a Getty Art Detective: At the entrance to the Family Room is a display of Detective brochures for kids. They come in a variety of languages, and each one has detachable cards with instructions for kids to find and investigate various aspects of the architecture, the gardens and the galleries. It’s fun and a great way to keep kids engaged during your visit.
• Family Activities: Look on the Getty website ahead of your visit because the center offers Family Workshops and an annual Family Festival.
• Kid’s Shop: There are children’s items in all the gallery shops, but there’s also a specific shop just for kids in the West Pavilion.

Where to Eat at the Getty:

The Center offers a variety of eating options for all budgets and when you’re visiting the Getty Museum with kids, you want to be prepared!

• Free: Bring a picnic lunch and eat at the picnic tables down by the tram or at any of the many outdoor tables up at the center.
• Inexpensive: The coffee cart in the courtyard offers hot and cold drinks and packaged food and snack items.
• Moderate: The Café offers indoor seating and cafeteria style food choices. There’s a great variety including sandwiches, soups, hot entrees and a kids’ meal menu. The Garden Terrace Café is smaller with outdoor seating and fewer choices, but still offers fresh food and overlooks the garden.
• Pricey but worth it: The Restaurant has a full-service menu with really great food. It’s not a budget-friendly choice but the museum is free, so it might be worth the splurge!

What to Buy at the Getty:

The museum shops are really fabulous here. I don’t usually include a shopping section in my posts, but I think these shops are worth a mention. Of course you can find the usual exhibit-based mugs, scarves, tees, etc. Some of the best I saw were in the photography exhibit.  For kids, my suggestion is to stay away from the art kits, books and educational toys, because you can find those in many places. The best items for kids, in my opinion, are the exhibit-specific items that might be hard to find anywhere else. For example, at the Book of Beasts exhibit, my daughter got an interactive book on dragons and a medieval coin pendant. If you don’t mind spending a bit, some of their jewelry is also really spectacular.

Los Angeles is chock full of museums, but the Getty Center is unparalleled in its location, view, architecture and the diversity of its exhibits. I highly recommend you save a day in your L.A. itinerary, or at least half a day, to spend at the Getty Museum with kids ! If you want to add to your L.A. family vacation, check out my posts on things to do in Downtown L.A. with kids or my post on exploring L.A. with teenagers.