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| Ninjas attack the The J Paul Getty Museum? |
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| Alex enjoys the Getty Museum Gardens. |
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| Serene played in Getty Gardens. |
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| Looking for art at the Getty Museum. |
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| Riding my bunny at the Getty Gardens. |
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| Serene runs around the fountain at the Getty Center. |
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| Getty Fountain. |
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| Serene the pirate and Alex ride the tram to the top of the Getty Center. |
The
J. Paul Getty Center cost $1.3 billion to build. Its art collection is literally priceless. And, over 1.3 million people visit the center annually. The Getty management is, however, apparently
not interested in any of those visitors being children who may one day grow up to become world-class artists or (better yet!) donors who will fund their museum for all eternity. If they did, they they might consider spending a few thousand more dollars to expand their "Family Zone" to something larger than my living room. The "Family Zone" is a small room, hidden well-beyond where any visitor would care to venture with grandparent-aged docents posted at the doors to holler if your kid wonders beyond the tiny corridor they've (finally) been allowed to explore. I understand its not a museum for kids...but, given that Getty has more money than God, my suggestion for their 'box', is to spend a few bucks more on the next generation.
In the meantime, Alex and Serene "awed" at the sculptures and were "wowed" by the paintings as I dared to bring the children into the galleries. Alex kept his hands in his pockets and Serene used her pirate telescope to search for the art. (
She also wore an eye-patch and 'arghed' like a pirate all the way through each gallery!)
Mostly, they loved the gardens. Robert Irwin, the designer of its exquisite central garden, called it a "sculpture in the form of a garden." Children are allowed to run freely in there. And, shhh --- don't tell the Getty staff that Alex and his buddy scaled the walls like ninjas.
