The J. Paul Getty Museum debuted in Los Angeles in 1997 to great acclaim, with star architect Richard Meier having been employed to design one of the most spectacular new cultural centers in the country - and suceeding in that task beyond all expectation. Divided into the Getty Center, and the classically-Italian-styled Getty Villa, it has always boasted education as one of its core missions.

The Villa holds a breathtaking collection of art and artifacts from Ancient Greece, Rome and Etruria, offering the rare opportunity to decisively immerse oneself in such storied history. For something truly awe-inspiring, most definitely check out the current exhibition 'Sculpted Portraits from Ancient Egypt' (on view at the Villa through January 25, 2027), to learn about about sculpture making from more than 2600 years ago. The exhibit shows how the finest artists of the day were commissioned to create striking representations of influential members of the court and the priesthood, which were subsequently installed in the magnificent temples of the age. The thinking was that it would allow such consequential figures to both worship the gods and also receive their blessings for all of eternity. (Though we can't actually confirm if it worked or not.)

But the Getty knows how to have fun, too! For instance, this past March they "collaborated" with a California sea lion named Parker from the Aquarium Pacific, also located in LA. Holding the brush between his teeth (because, you know...a lack of opposable thumbs on flippers), and looking to Van Gogh's iconic Iris' for inspiration, the charmingly wobbling and boisterously barking Parker turned out an impressively abstract work, fittingly titled 'Irises Reimagined' - which just might make him the world's next big art star. (We hear he can actually paint in a realist style too, but it's just not really his vibe).

For families that are able to visit in person, we highly recommend the Getty's 'Art Making, Family' workshops on weekends - which feature everything from mixing and molding seed balls, to learning the fine art of collage. There are also special 'Figure Drawing' classes, with the next of those coming up on Sunday, June 28; and for musically inclined upstarts, the popular series Garden Concerts for Kids. There are even 'Art Detective' events, for junior sleuths. (An ongoing schedule of family oriented events can be found at this link.)

Thankfully, for those without easy access to the Getty, there are numerous activities featured on their website for families to do together at home - including learning how to make a paper bouquet, baking bread like they did in Ancient Rome, and - our favorite - discovering how an Egyptian mummy was made.

Note: The Getty will be closing for renovations in March of 2027, and reopening the following spring.