The J. Paul Getty Museum is not for People Like me

If you want to see this famous painting by Vincent Van Gogh you Must go to The Getty in Los Angeles

We were in Los Angeles recently, visiting relatives. We decided it would be fun to visit The Getty, as we've never been there. The villa part of The Getty was closed due to recent fires, which limited our visit to just the museum. The Getty is free, but parking is $25.00, making it less affordable.

The handicapped parking is on the ground level. There weren't very many, and of course they were all taken. I don't know what the ADA requirements are in California, but in my state, Washington, it is required that there be one handicapped parking spot for every 25 regular parking spots. If California is anything close to my state, The Getty is out of compliance.

Once you find a parking spot, ours was six stories down, you must ride a tram to get to the museum, which is at the top of a hill. Depending on the time of day, it can be a long wait. Ours was 20-30 minutes. There were benches only at the very start of the line, making it a difficult time of standing for me.

I'm convinced The Getty was constructed as a tribute to the ego of two men, J. Paul Getty and the architect, Richard Meier. It’s lovely. It's incredible. It's glorious. But for people like me, it's a real pain!

The Getty

I get it, I really do. If I was a healthy person, I would love The Getty. There are multiple buildings, meandering walkways, gardens and surprises at every turn. But, you must walk to see The Getty in its glory. The J. Paul Getty Trust is the wealthiest art institution in the world, with an endowment of 7.7 billion. Of course Richard Meier would want to build a monument to Getty and himself, and a gift to the people of Los Angeles. It just doesn't work for all the people, people like me.

After the arduous wait for the tram, we were greeted with stairs. Yes, there are elevators, but they are difficult to find and they are small and crowded. Yes, there were wheelchairs available. But, that assumes the caregiver has the strength to push the chair, no small task. In my case, my husband could not do it. In my entire time at The Getty, I saw just one person in a wheelchair. It's just too hard.

So Many Stairs at the Getty

After actually getting inside The Getty, we looked for a bench to sit down and rest. Of course there were barely any. There are some inside the rooms containing the art, but there are very few in the long hallways or outside. Once we did see a bench, they were usually full. Then, of course there are people like the guy below, hogging the entire bench.

We went on a couple tours in Southern California, not just The Getty. One was in Palm Springs at Sunnylands. Sunnylands is the rambling estate of Walter and Leonore Annenberg, completed in 1966. Anyone can visit the lovely gardens for free. Visits to the mid century modern house are by advance reservation and cost $58.19 per person. Each tour holds just seven people and lasts 90 minutes. This is a walking tour, with one break that allows a few minutes to sit. There are lovely, comfy looking chairs in the house, but those are not for people like me. No sitting allowed. Of interest to Sunnylands, is the house is 25,000 square feet, yet contained just one bedroom, a master bedroom, used by the Annenbergs. The Annenbergs hosted many visitors, including presidents from Nixon to Obama. All guests slept in smaller outdoor guesthouses. When the Annenberg children came to visit, they too slept in the guesthouses. There were four small bedrooms behind the kitchen, but those were for the chef and staff.

It became clear that many tours are not for people disabled like me. But, we did find one that was perfect! A tour of Beverly Hills in an open aired minibus. Once I managed to climb up and into my seat, I was done! No stairs or long walks on dead end walkways. Just a comfortable seat and a talkative guide: perfect!

Doug Enjoying the Effortless Minibus Tour