Art and Architecture at The Getty Center

Great destination! Enjoyed the open trail and peaceful outdoor atmosphere.

Great destination! Enjoyed the open trail and peaceful outdoor atmosphere.

While the layout is very cool and there was a decent variety of exhibits, it is not an easily accessible museum. While it is listed as free, you are supposed to reserve a spot to attend. I think because I went by myself, it was OK, but I can definitely see it being an issue if you were with more than a person or two. You have to take a tram to get to the museum, so the line to enter was quite long and took about 30 minutes to even enter the museum. However, everyone at the museum was very kind and helpful and overall, I had a nice time and saw some great pieces of art. Gorgeous outdoor spaces and a variety of cafe options.

Very nice environment!

I went to the Getty recently, and the experience started off on the wrong foot. I completely understand the need for bag checks. I’ve seen enough heist movies to know that art theft is real and people can be crafty. But the way the bag checker handled my friend’s diaper bag was just unnecessary. She was carrying it for her almost two-year-old and ended up pulling out more than half the contents. What exactly he was looking for is beyond me. My friend even said to him, “Not even TSA goes that hard on diaper bags.” Watching their interaction immediately put me in a bad mood as I was next in line to be checked. The bag checker wasn’t just rude to her, he gave her spouse a hard time too. When it was my turn, he did the same thing. I kept quiet because my friends flew halfway across the country to visit, and they were really excited about this museum. I didn’t want to ruin the moment, so I followed his instructions and took everything out of my bag so he could look inside. While I was doing that, he started asking me personal questions. I didn’t respond because I was still upset about how he treated my friend. That’s when he got condescending, even though I was cooperating. He didn’t stop until I pulled out my feminine hygiene products, which suddenly made him flustered. I packed everything back into my bag and moved to someone else in a different line. I asked that person if I could speak to a manager. Her name, I believe, was Rocio, and she was lovely. I explained everything to her, and while we were talking, my friends found us and shared their experiences too. Rocio apologized and comped our parking, which was appreciated. But here’s the thing. These bag checkers are among the first people guests interact with. Even if safety is a priority, there’s no reason for employees to be casually rude. It sets a bad tone for the entire visit. Outside of that, the museum itself is stunning. The modern architecture paired with the historical artwork is a beautiful reminder of how talented humans truly are. And if you love gift shops, this one is amazing. The staff inside were kind and super helpful. However, I have to add that we went to The Broad museum the next day, and the experience was a complete 180. They noticed my friend’s child was very active and saw we didn’t have a stroller. Without us even asking, they offered a complimentary stroller. We commented on how great the experience already was compared to what we went through the day before. And without us even mentioning the name, they correctly guessed it had been the Getty. Clearly, there’s a reputation there. I’m not here to bash the Getty. I’ve been at least two other times and had an amazing experience, especially with the bag checkers. But when people are coming from out of town to visit one of the world’s most famous museums, you want to give them a positive experience they’ll remember. So when you have people on the front lines, specifically the bag checkers, putting guests in a sour mood before they even enter, that should be a cause for concern. I share this as constructive feedback. Hopefully it’s an opportunity to support your team with the tools and training to provide a better customer experience, even while doing an important job like checking bags.