“The past is a foreign country,” author L.P. Hartley famously wrote in his book The Go-Between. Perhaps that’s why we hold on to the postcards…
The Center opened its doors to a limited number of visitors with free reservations on Tuesday, May 25. The return of the Santa Monica Mountains most celebrated arts institution is a major milestone on the road to recovery from coronavirus.
The Getty Villa in Pacific Palisades reopened in April. The much larger Getty Center presented more challenges, but a safety plan was developed and implemented that includes one-way routes and other measures to keep visitors and staff safe.
“We are delighted to welcome visitors back to the iconic Getty Center, one of Los Angeles’ most visited cultural destinations,” said Timothy Potts, Maria Hummer-Tuttle and Robert Tuttle Director of the J. Paul Getty Museum. “As well as all the familiar highlights of the Museum’s collections, gardens, architecture, and vistas, we will be featuring our newly acquired painting of Lucretia by Artemisia Gentileschi, and special exhibits of photography and other media. With both the Villa and Center opening, the staff are excited to welcome visitors back to their Getty.”
In addition to Lucretia, by the most celebrated woman painter of 17th-century Italy, also on view are new exhibitions Photo Flux: Unshuttering L.A.; Power, Justice and Tyranny in the Middle Ages; Artist as Collectors; and Silk & Swan Feathers: A Luxurious 18th-Century Armchair. Admission is free but the number of reservations will remain limited and there is a $20 fee to park. The library, family activities room, picnic area, and restaurants remain closed for now, but box lunches and drinks are available, and visitors have the option to skip lines by preordering and paying for meals online. Most of the galleries and all of the world famous garden are open. Visit https://www.getty.edu to learn more or make a reservation.
