The Getty

When I stepped off the bus and began walking up the stairs out of the parking structure, I was excited to notice that we would be taking a tram up the hill to the Getty. The tram was white and very futuristic in design, and reminded me of Tomorrow Land at Disneyland because it was similar to some of the attractions featured there. The tram began its way up the unappealing hillside featuring California's natural vegetation, chaparral. Looking outside of the windows, you can see the view of the 405 freeway, one of Los Angeles' treasures. The view of the freeway gave the impression that the journey would be an escape from the hectic life that most of us live. The moment the tram began to approach the Getty Museum; I was taken a back from its amazing architectural beauty.
I was expecting to go to the museum and see works of art inside, but the entire museum seemed to be a work of art itself. The architecture was magnificent. The exterior walls, pillars, and even fire hydrants of this huge museum were exceptionally clean and appealing to the eye. I looked around and noticed that everything was mostly white. The white travertine walls made me think of natural beauty, beauty not altered for the eye, and the whole place gave me a sense of serenity and pride. "Meier chose stone for this project because it is often associated with public architecture and expresses qualities the Getty Center celebrates: permanence, solidity, simplicity, warmth, and craftsmanship" according to the Getty webpage. The Getty's style and theme is very modern and innovative. There was also an incredible amount of wide open space throughout the outer parts of the museum, which left plenty room for the imagination. The amount of open space symbolized the way our minds should be when we enter this museum to examine the art. In order to get into a painting's true meaning, we must first open our minds and clear thoughts of any previous conceptions of art.
Windows and natural light are major elements...