The much-visited Getty Center in Los Angeles is improving the arrival journey to its iconic Getty Center campus, including upgrades to the arrival/parking area (Lower Tram), replacement of the tram itself and renovation of the Welcome Hall at the top of the hill, all integrated seamlessly into the existing design by Richard Meier and Partners.

© J. Paul Getty Trust

In the next few years, visitors arriving at Getty Center will experience a more gracious and efficient entry experience designed by Gehry Partners, reflecting the needs of today’s visitors. Landscaping designed by OLIN will expand throughout the Lower Tram and arrival areas, creating a welcoming green space that will feature a new sheltered stairway, reinstalled outdoor sculptures, contemporary art commissions, a garden café and retail space. A reconfigured circulation plan and security checkpoint will also ease tram departures and arrivals.

The Getty Tram itself, which has carried millions of visitors from the arrival point off Interstate 405 to the Center’s hilltop campus, has been in use since 1997 and is showing its age. It will be replaced with a newly designed and more comfortable model with increased visitor capacity to reduce wait time. The new tram, including its cars and propulsion system, is manufactured by Doppelmayr, among the world’s leading designers and suppliers of automated shuttles used in airports and transit centers in many cities.

© J. Paul Getty Trust

Upon reaching the top of the hill at Getty Center, visitors will enter a significantly upgraded Welcome Hall designed by WHY Architecture, with enhanced wayfinding to orient them for their journeys across the campus and amenities to encourage them to linger and relax. Features at the Welcome Hall will include a large information screen and desk to greet visitors, and an expanded bookstore that opens into a new full-service café.

The first phase of Getty Center’s modernization has already begun, with some gallery closures to accommodate upgrades, among other gallery improvement projects. These upgrades will improve Getty’s energy efficiency and advance its broader sustainability commitments. Additional enhancements will be detailed at a later date.

© J. Paul Getty Trust

To complete these projects, Getty Center will temporarily close to the public beginning in March 2027, with reopening planned for spring 2028. During the closure, Getty will continue to collaborate on programs with partners across Los Angeles, the United States and internationally, while offering more ways for audiences to engage with art at Getty Villa Museum.

Getty Villa will continue to present a full schedule of exhibitions, public programs and events, inviting visitors to connect with Ancient Greek and Roman art while enjoying the villa’s architecture, tranquil gardens and scenic views. During this period, the villa will also introduce new offerings for visitors, including a gallery featuring a selection of the museum’s collection at Getty Center.