Back in December, my husband and I had a full day at leisure in Los Angeles after attending Global Traveler‘s GT Tested Awards party at the Peninsula Beverly Hills. While devastating wildfires were still burning to the north and south of us, the day had dawned warm and sunny, with only light winds and some haze.   It perfectly suited our decision to visit the Getty Center, celebrating its 20th anniversary, nearby, a first visit for Harry and a much-anticipated return for me.

The Getty Center (consisting of the J. Paul Getty Museum, Getty Conservation Institute and Getty Research Institute ) and the Getty Villa in Santa Monica are incredible gifts to the residents and visitors of this region. Admission is free, with most special exhibits also available at no charge. Parking is a reasonable $15, and informative docent-led or self-guided audio tours scheduled throughout the day provide fascinating insights into the gardens, architecture and collections of this stunning site.

We traveled up the Santa Monica Freeway (I-405) to reach the museum complex, driving the route that had appeared in newscast videos less than a week before as a hellish conflagration. Now we saw blackened, barren hillsides    and the charred foundations of homes that succumbed to the flames.   The Getty was safe during the fires, with many processes in place to keep its priceless collections secure. (It’s also the place you’d want to be during a powerful earthquake, built to withstand an 8.9 temblor.) Museum guides told us they can store a million gallons of water on site, and during the three days the complex was closed, it hosted an encampment of firefighters who were able to sleep, shower, eat and rest when not battling the flames.

We spent an enjoyable day wandering through galleries, exploring the grounds,   taking in a tour and pausing for lunch on one of several outdoor terraces. This particular visit reminded me of the value and pleasure one derives from chatting with a museum’s volunteers and staff. You know those people with the name tags who hover in galleries whose sole purpose, you are sure, is to make sure no one touches anything? At the Getty, at least, we discovered many are just bursting to share with you their favorite hidden gems, tips on where to get the best view of the gardens and tidbits of historical information.

With such a vast and varied collection of treasures, the Getty offers many days’ worth of viewing delight, and I hope to make many more visits in the future. Exhibits range from photography to city design and change often (we enjoyed the Golden Kingdoms, an exhibit of the art of the ancient Americas), so if you plan a visit to Los Angeles, check out the Center’s website and see what might tickle your fancy.

— Patty Vanikiotis, associate editor/copy editor