Art Collectors and Their Collections
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At a Glance
What You'll Learn
- Study the life of J. Paul Getty and examine his collections of Western art from the Middle Ages to the present against a backdrop of dramatic architecture, tranquil gardens and breathtaking views of the city.
- Experience the museum of Arabella and Henry Huntington, with 207 acres of gardens.
- Discover Norton Simon’s collection of art from Europe and Asia on a docent-led walk.
General Notes
Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.
- 2024
- 2025
- May 19 - May 24
- Jun 23 - Jun 28
- Sep 01 - Sep 06
- Sep 22 - Sep 27
- Oct 20 - Oct 25
- 2024
- 2025
- May 19 - May 24
- Jun 23 - Jun 28
- Sep 01 - Sep 06
- Sep 22 - Sep 27
- Oct 20 - Oct 25
Activity note: Hotel check-in available from 3:00 p.m. Remember to bring your nametag (sent previously). Walk to local restaurant is approximately 0.5 miles each way.
Afternoon: Program Registration: 3:00 p.m. After you check in and have your room assignment, join us at the Road Scholar table to register with the program staff, get any updated information, and confirm the time and location of the Orientation session. If you arrive late, please locate your Group Leader and let them know you have arrived. Orientation: 5:00 p.m. The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the program theme, the up-to-date daily schedule and any changes, discuss safety guidelines, emergency procedures, roles and responsibilities, and answer any questions you may have. We will learn from the Group Leader and a series of local experts who will give lectures and lead field trips. Program-related travel and transfers will be via private motorcoach unless noted otherwise. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/current conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding. Lunch at the Getty Center on Day 3 is on your own. If you wish to eat at the Getty Restaurant, reservations are recommended. Make reservations for the restaurant by calling 310-440-6810. Reservations should be made between 12:00 Noon and 2:00 p.m. We have set aside some free time in the schedule for your personal independent exploration. The Group Leader will often be available during free time to accompany informal outings, activities, or meals that have been excluded from the program cost. You are welcome to join if you like, with any associated costs on your own.
Dinner: At the hotel.
Evening: At leisure. Continue getting to know your fellow participants, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead.
Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach. Walking and standing in the museum; Stairs with elevators available; LACMA has six buildings containing the art on display. The art in each building is displayed on one to three floors in an area about two blocks long. Extent and duration of walking and standing during independent exploration according to personal choice.
Breakfast: At the hotel.
Morning: At the hotel, an art historian will lead a captivating lecture on the historical background of Los Angeles museums and the art enthusiasts of Los Angeles and their world renowned collections. Personalities including Henry Huntington, J. Paul Getty, Norton Simon, and Charles Lummis made their living in Los Angeles and contributed to its becoming a major city in California. Each of their collections, ranging from Native American photography and prints to European masterpieces, are housed in museums throughout the city. After class, we will depart the hotel via private motorcoach for the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). Originally part of the Los Angeles Museum of History, Science, and Art, LACMA became a separate art museum in 1961. LACMA's campus is 20-acres and consists of six buildings, making it the largest art museum in the western United States.
Lunch: This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to have what you like at the museum. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.
Afternoon: We will continue our independent exploration of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Enjoy more than 120,000 works of art including both permanent and rotating collections. After our visit, we will return to the hotel via motorcoach.
Dinner: At a local restaurant.
Evening: At leisure.
Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach. Moderate walking at the Getty Center; the art collection is displayed in four buildings; there may be temporary exhibits in two other buildings. Elevators are available. Elective: docent-led walks of art, architecture or gardens lasting about an hour. Extent and duration of walking and other activities during independent exploration according to personal choice. Access to the Getty Garden involves a slight incline.
Breakfast: At the hotel.
Morning: An art historian with more than 20 years of experience at the museum will introduce the J. Paul Getty Museum at the Getty Center in Los Angeles, which houses European paintings, drawings, sculpture, illuminated manuscripts, decorative arts, and European and American photographs. Jean Paul Getty was an American industrialist, who was named the richest living American and the world’s richest private citizen by the Guinness Book of World Records. An avid collector of art and antiquities, he established the J. Paul Getty Trust, which remains the world’s wealthiest art institution. From the hotel, we’ll ride via motorcoach to the J. Paul Getty Museum at the Getty Center to view the artwork discussed the night before. The Museum is accessed from the parking structure by a 3/4 mile hovertrain. The Getty Center is one of the most visited art museums in the United States and presents the Getty's collection of Western art, from the Middle Ages to the present, against a backdrop of dramatic architecture, tranquil gardens, and breathtaking views. This stunning collection features works by Titian, Rembrandt, Manet, and Monet. Take this opportunity for personal independent exploration of the Getty Center.
Lunch: On your own.
Afternoon: We’ll continue exploring the Getty Center. After the Getty Center, we’ll return via motorcoach to the hotel for dinner.
Dinner: At the hotel.
Evening: At the hotel, we'll gather for an expert-led learning session on the early history of Los Angeles. Officially founded in 1781 by Spanish governor Felipe de Neve, the early population consisted of ranchers taking advantage of the city’s Mediterranean climate. Growing as the regional capital of Alta California under Mexican rule, the city began to rapidly expand following the Mexican-American War and the completion of the Southern Pacific railroad in the late 19th century.
Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach. Moderate walking at the Huntington grounds over 200 acres with some inclines; stairs with limited elevators; standing and walking for one hour during docent-led walk; additional walking and other activities according to personal choice.
Breakfast: At the hotel.
Morning: Our art historian will lead a class on the collections of Henry and Arabella Huntington. Their sprawling estate covering more than 600 acres is an oasis of art and culture set amidst the ever-changing botanical gardens. Three art galleries and a library showcase magnificent collections of rare books and manuscripts, 18th- and 19th-century British and French art, and early American art. We’ll depart the hotel via motorcoach for the Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens, where we will have a docent-led walk. We will then have time for self-guided exploration.
Lunch: On your own at the Huntington Library.
Afternoon: We’ll continue our independent exploration of the art collection, library, and gardens.
Dinner: On your own.
Evening: At leisure.
Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach. Walking and standing for up to 1 1/2 hours on our docent-led visit; Stairs or elevator between floors. Walk to local restaurant is approximately 0.1 miles each way.
Breakfast: At the hotel.
Morning: An art historian will lead a lecture that will further introduce us to Norton Simon and his collection of 14th through 20th century European art and art of the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. After class, we’ll depart the hotel for the Norton Simon Museum. Enjoy a docent-led walk of the Norton Simon Museum. You will have time to explore the collections and the sculpture garden on your own. Like Monet’s Giverny, the garden at the Norton Simon Museum is a living work of art providing tranquil and inspirational surroundings for the Museum and its visitors. Many come to sketch the attractive landscaping and featured sculptures or simply relax and enjoy the atmosphere.
Lunch: Boxed lunch at the museum.
Afternoon: Staying on at the Norton Simon Museum, we will have time for independent exploration before returning to the hotel by motorcoach.
Dinner: At a local restaurant.
Evening: At leisure. Prepare for check-out and departure in the morning.
Activity note: Hotel check-out by 11:00 a.m.
Breakfast: At the hotel.
Morning: In our last class led by one of our historians, we’ll wrap up our program by reviewing the experiences we've had during our visits this week. After a brief break, we’ll rejoin our historian for a lecture that will closely follow the fundamentals of how museums generally manage their collections. Collections management is geared at maintaining the long-term safety and sustainability of museum pieces and is a very intricate process. This concludes our program. If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!