Ready to take your kids on a journey to experience a world of culture without leaving town or breaking the bank? All summer long at the Getty, families can enjoy a cultural free-for-all that’s free for all by attending incredible events from joyous garden concerts to exciting art workshops. Read on for your passport to a wealth of free discoveries right here in your own backyard.
Quality Free-Time With the Fam
The Getty has taken the guesswork out of what to do with downtime this summer by hosting an array of engaging family-friendly activities at their two locations in Brentwood and the Pacific Palisades. Kids will be inspired and enlightened by thoughtfully curated, hands-on artistic workshops, feel-good concerts and guided exhibition tours.
Artistic Explorations for the Young & Young at Heart
There’s something for everyone and to suit every schedule at the Getty’s cultural-free-for-all.
Inventive art activities include the Book of Beasts photo booth where kids can pose for a snapshot next to their favorite mythical beast and picture themselves in an illuminated manuscript. Additionally, Build-a-Beast is a pop-up print lab that invites kids to explore screen and block printing to create real or imaginary animals that roam and soar across the page.
Book of Beasts Photo Booth: Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays, Jul. 5–Aug. 18; 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Build-a-Beast Pop-Up Print Lab: Sundays, Tuesdays & Saturdays, Jul. 14–20 & Aug. 11–17; 11 a.m.–2:30 p.m.
Piece together even more good times at the Getty Villa’s mosaic workshop: Making Mosaics Brick by Brick, wherein families can fashion their own mosaics inspired by the Getty Villa’s collection alongside artist Andy Bauch.
Making Mosaics Brick by Brick: Saturdays, Jul. 13 & 20, Aug. 3, 10, & 17; 11 a.m.–3 p.m.
Immersive Family Tours
Percy Jackson fans, don’t miss ‘The Demigods,’ an audio tour from the world of Percy Jackson at the Getty Villa. This family tour is inspired by the book series and it takes you on a quest to meet heroes, dodge monsters and avoid an unfriendly god before claiming your reward at the end. You can take the audio tour and stay for more themed fun to interact with mythological creatures and get to know the gods and goddesses of ancient antiquity.
‘The Demigods’ tour is available daily except Tuesdays when the Getty Villa is closed.
The Getty Center offers three audio tours as well: ‘Highlights of the Collection,’ ‘Straight From the Horse’s Mouth’ and ‘Demons, Angels, and Monsters.’ Rent an iPod touch for free in the Museum Entrance Hall to embark on one of these fascinating jaunts into the Getty’s collections and galleries.
Tours listed above are available daily except Mondays when the Getty Center is closed.
Good to know: You’ll find kid-friendly food and snacks at both the Getty Center and the Getty Villa and you’re also welcome to bring your own lunch to enjoy a picnic on the grass in the Central Garden at the Getty Center.
Groove to Garden Concerts in a Beautiful Setting
Relax, unwind and let someone else entertain your kiddos at a Garden Concert in the Getty Center’s stunning Central Garden, which offers breathtaking views of Los Angeles. This free outdoor concert music series features some of the best kid’s musical artists from across the U.S. The lively line-up includes Elena Moon Park and Friends, the Okee Dokee Brothers and The Lucky Band, all poised to fill the air with kid-friendly, toe-tapping tunes parents will dig too.
Good to know: Be sure to bring a picnic blanket to perch on or dance upon, but lawn chairs aren’t allowed.
Garden Concerts for Kids are held: Saturdays and Sundays, Aug. 3 & 4, 10 & 11, and 17 & 18 from 4–5:30 p.m.
Plan a family trip or two to the Getty this summer. It’s easily the best way to immerse your kids in culture, minus the travel!
The Getty
1200 Getty Center Dr.
Los Angeles, CA 90049
310-440-7300
Online: getty.edu
The Getty Villa
17985 Pacific Coast Highway
Pacific Palisades, CA 90272
310-440-7300
Online: getty.edu/visit/villa
––Beth Shea
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