Visiting The Getty Center in Los Angeles

We visited The Getty Center in Los Angeles.  It's a beautiful museum that sits on top of a hill overlooking Los Angeles.  I try to take my daughter to as many museums as I can fit into the schedule, because I want her to experience and explore beautiful works of art as well as birthday parties and bounce houses.  Although I have a lot of fun in bounce houses too, I just believe that children love to learn about so many things.  And it is great fun to see through a 7 year olds eyes.

We saw some beautiful illuminated manuscripts, sculptures, and drawings.  We saw some famous paintings that I recognize from my art history classes: Irises by Van Gogh, Model Resting by Toulous-Lautrec and The Royal End by Gaugin.

Irises by Vincent van Gogh

There is something so soothing about a fountain and the sound of flowing water.

Sandra just had to repeatedly roll down this hill until she was completely dizzy!  Apparently this is a favorite pass time of Getty visitors.  The hill beckons you and you can't help yourself.

The Central Garden was created by artist Robert Irwin.  I visited when The Getty first opened in 1997 and the docents told me that the gardens were too new and they would be changing and growing.  They suggested I return.  I finally got a chance to return and see how beautiful the gardens have become.  Irwin's statement "Always changing, never twice the same" is carved into the plaza floor.  This reminds visitors of the ever-changing nature of this living work of art.

The Getty Center