The Getty Center, Getty Villa, and Getty Library are temporarily closed to help protect our community from the spread of coronavirus—but many of our resources are online, so there’s a lot to explore on a virtual visit. We’ve rounded up art books, online exhibitions, podcasts, and videos to help you keep your artistic spirits up.
Whether you’re looking to delve into art history, read up on alchemy, or listen to modern artists discuss their craft, here’s a guide to get you started.
Join Virtual Events
Learn more about artworks and art history or enjoy a virtual theater presentation from home. Find more about what’s coming and how to RSVP here.
Explore Current Exhibitions
Many of you told us that you were planning on coming to the Getty Center or Getty Villa to see the latest exhibitions—so if the museum is your happy place, here are ways to experience three of our most popular current exhibitions, all online.
Michelangelo: Mind of the Master

Standing Man; Woman Hoeing, 1517–23, Michelangelo Buonarroti. Pen and brown ink, black chalk, over extensive preparatory work with the stylus, 8 1/4 × 9 3/16 in. Teylers Museum, Haarlem, purchased in 1790. © Teylers Museum, Haarlem
Michelangelo’s creations have become icons of world culture: the monumental marble David in Florence; the astonishing frescoes in the Sistine Chapel and the soaring dome of Saint Peter’s Basilica, both in Rome.
Drawing was key to Michelangelo’s practice. The exhibition Michelangelo: Mind of the Master highlights a selection of his rare preparatory drawings, from compositional sketches to detailed figure studies.
You can browse an overview of his work here, and explore many of the drawings online with our free audio tour here.
Assyria: Palace Art of Ancient Iraq
Assyrian kings in the ninth to seventh centuries BC decorated their palaces with masterful relief sculptures filled with vivid depictions of warfare, rituals, mythology, hunting, and court life.
Learn more about these reliefs here, and explore the different ways they were created—some using techniques familiar from comic books—in a blog post by one of the exhibition curators here.
Käthe Kollwitz: Prints, Process, Politics
Though not a household name in the U.S., Käthe Kollwitz was one of the foremost graphic artists of the 20th century. This exhibition sheds light on her creative process and presents her searing portrayals of the hardships of war, poverty, and injustice. See highlights of the exhibition, delve into her printmaking techniques, and explore how her images were used for social campaigns.
Delve into Art History Online
Bauhaus: Building the New Artist
Founded 100 years ago, the German school known as the Bauhaus changed not only art and design, but also how both were taught. Explore the Bauhaus’s legacy in our online exhibition here.

Light-dark contrast study for Johannes Itten’s Preliminary Course, 1919, Friedl Dicker. Charcoal and pastel collage on black paper, 32.5 x 22.5 cm. Bauhaus Drawings and Prints by Friedl Dicker. The Getty Research Institute, 920030
The Legacy of Ancient Palmyra
Positioned at a crossroads, Palmyra in Syria was a nexus of ideas and innovations streaming from east and west that made it one of the most cosmopolitan centers in antiquity. Explore ancient Palmyra through rare 18th-century engravings and 19th-century photos of the ancient city, accompanied by essays from curators.

Temple of Bel complex, Palmyra, Syria (no. 65), Louis Vignes. Louis Vignes photographs of Palmyra & Beirut, Getty Research Institute, 2015.M.15
Art and Research Collections in a Click
Interested in old master painting? If you want to see all the Rembrandt paintings in LA museums right from your phone, there’s a website for that!
And how about browsing objects from the Getty collections with intriguing stories? Explore art at our new highlights page here and delve into our vast library collections, including thousands of digitized items, in our always-on library catalog here.
Read Art Books or Do Research

Still Life with Blue Pot, about 1900–06, Paul Cézanne. Watercolor over graphite, 18 15/16 × 24 7/8 in. The J. Paul Getty Museum, 83.GC.221. Digital image courtesy of the Getty’s Open Content Program
Getty Publications has over 350 books that can be downloaded and read at home through its virtual library, like this one on Cezanne’s watercolors. We particularly like this book about British photographer Julia Margaret Cameron, who started taking pictures when she was 48.
If you need access to books about art history and visual culture—over 165,000 of them, dating back to the Renaissance and drawn from libraries around the world—you can search digitized books online here. Many of the Getty Library’s rare books have been digitized and are accessible online; highlights included nearly 200 titles on alchemy, and dozens of examples of some of the earliest photo books ever printed.
For research, Getty also offers many free databases for art history, conservation, provenance, and more; browse our resources page to see the full list.
Listen to Art Podcasts
Getty produces two podcasts. Go deep into Titian, Manet, and more with Art & Ideas, or hear from groundbreaking women artists like Betye Saar and Yoko Ono in Recording Artists: Radical Women.
You can also find audio tours with images from past exhibitions: explore Egypt and the Classical world, the strange creatures of the medieval bestiary, or the depiction of the nude in Renaissance art.
Watch Art-Making and Hundreds of Art History Talks
On our YouTube channels, you can learn about art history, discover classic art-making techniques, and watch hundreds of talks, too.
Find out how an illuminated manuscript was made, how a tapestry was woven, or even how an ancient Egyptian was mummified—or go outside and draw with charcoal.
Ever wondered what it’s like to restore a huge ancient sculpture? Watch the conservation process here.
Teaching kids or adults? We also offer videos on teaching with art and many video captures of past general-interest talks and scholarly presentations on art and history.
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We would love to hear from you. What do you want to know more about? Tell us in the comments and we’ll post more ways to stay inspired by art during these unsettling times.
To find out more about museum closures, and how Getty is responding to the Coronavirus, please see getty.edu/coronavirus. And follow us @gettymuseum on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram for highlights of Getty art and resources, and to share what you’d like to see!
Maybe do a series about disease depicted in art. Something along the likes of what Townsends YouTube channel is doing in video form: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bS8gxx3oUsk
I just read on CNN about your “Create a Piece of Getty Art” challenge. I am a sixth grade teacher and would love to see a link placed on your homepage (simplified for the kiddos who are less experienced with technology) that my students could use to interact with the information and the results of the challenge… Thank you!!!
Hi Mary! So excited that you’ll be sharing with your students. We just published this post today, does this help?
Thanks,
Sarah
Hi Mary! Thanks so much for your interest. We’ve put together a blog post about the challenge that offers some inspirational examples and how-to tips at the end. Here’s a direct link to the tips; if you need more information or something different, please do reply and let us know.
We did the recreate art challenge but don’t do Twitter. Is there another way to send to you for posting?
Sadly, the pandemic has made my LA visit less than fantastic, yet I hope to discover the Getty intricacies online! Thank you for providing access! If it were not for the Getty, our ‘know-how’ would be like centuries of unearthed artifacts buried in the rubble of time. Keep up your good work!
I would like to do a virtual field trip to the Getty with my second grade students. I am currently teaching in Indiana. When I was living in Southern California, I came several times with students. Most of my students live in a rural community and most likely will not have the experience of a museum like the Getty. Last week I took them to the San Diego Zoo. This week I would like to have them experience the Getty.
Please advise what would be appropriate for my second grade class.
Thank you,
Jean Jack
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Teacher, Grade 2
Hi Jean,
Recently a local elementary school reached out to us because her field trip to Getty was postponed and they were disappointed. She made a little video to give her students a taste of the Getty and was nice enough to share with us. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtpssSnPR5s&t=454s. See if this will work as a teaser. It might be a little young for your 2nd graders, but her language and selection of objects is very approachable–if you’d like to add your own spin.
In the education department, we are certainly looking to create more educational resources to support teachers and students during this time. Take a look at this page if you’d like to engage your students with some fun activities: https://www.getty.edu/education/kids_families/do_at_home/index.html.
We appreciate your comment. Keep checking back with us for more content.
Hi
I am an art teacher to at risk students and would like easy accessible art resources that are not so technical in instructions. Can you help ?
Thanks
Jonathan Hearon
Chicago IL
Hi Jonathan,
We wanted to share some resources and some of the Getty’s resources for at-home arts learning. Getty’s resources are here:
https://www.getty.edu/education/kids_families/do_at_home/index.html
#ColourOurCollections has coloring pages from museums and cultural organizations from around the world — including the Getty.
http://library.nyam.org/colorourcollections/
CreateCA #CreateAtHome has numerous K12 lessons ideas and arts resources.
https://createca.org/createathome/
Chicago Arts Partnership in Education does a weekly roundup of K12 arts learning ideas and resources:
https://capechicago.org/cape-online-learning-hub/
Thanks again for writing!
Thanks a lot for giving access to all of this.
Culture is the freedom of the mind!
So needed in these tough times
Thank you
do you plan to offer your excellent lecture series online?
Are you doing any webinar art talks, etc…….in june, july, aug: sep: 2020. I would like to sign up if they are availabe. Please send me a link to register or sign into ……..simone Lavoie, Vancouver island, Bc, ca
Hi Simone,
Thanks for your interest. The best way to find out about upcoming talks is to subscribe to our “What’s On” email newsletter. You can do that here:
https://community.getty.edu/subscribe
Thanks!
Caitlin
I need something to increase my interest in art during these trying times!.
Do you have any plans for virtual field trips for our students? Thank you.
Hi Janice,
We are so thrilled to say yes! Beginning this fall, your classroom will be able to “Zoom In” to the Getty, as our educators will be offering 30 – 45 minute long interactive art explorations with the Getty Collection. Our team of experienced gallery teachers will guide discussions based on students’ curiosity, ideas, and individual life experiences. Our virtual offerings will be available 3 – 4x a day via advanced registration. Please keep an eye on our website for scheduling details coming soon!
Lovely.
I am a 5th grade teacher at Stoner Ave Elementary. I would love to see actual virtual field trips at the museum with a docent so that students can interact and ask questions during a Zoom Session!
Hi Anne Marie,
Beginning October 5, we are excited to offer Getty Virtual Art Explorations for K-12: a 30-45-minute session over Zoom with Getty Art Educators guiding your students through close-looking exercises and conversation to connect with works of art in the Getty collection. While the museum galleries remain closed, our educators are able to access the museum’s expansive online content to facilitate an interactive experience. Students can expect to view between 2 – 4 works of art per session. Reservations will open on Tuesday, September 8 @ 9:00 a.m. and you’ll be able to visit our website to schedule this “virtual visit”. We look forward to zooming in with you soon!
hi i loved this atricle and want to know more
Thanks for these opportunities!
Loved the talk abt Polyphemus.
Cant wait to explore mire!
Bucket List
1. Visit the Getty.
Your exhibition of Michelangelo Master of the Mind is a fantastic.
I give a video talk called “The Jewish Heart of Michelangelo” and would be
glad to present it for the Getty Museum.
I am a retired art teacher.
Sincerely,
Barbara Coffey
The visuals add so much to the spoken description of the mummification process. Thank you so very much.
Wonderful during the lockdowns.