Illustration of a scribe writing in a book

Scribe Writing (Detail), probably Eadmer of Canterbury, about 1140–1150; Tempera colors, gold paint, and ink on parchment, Leaf: 7 × 4 1/4 in., Ms. Ludwig XI 6 (83.MN.125), fol. 2v

Ten years ago, we held a contest, asking Getty staff to name our brand new blog. The winner was “The Iris,” because it signified seeing, and celebrated Van Gogh’s Irises, one of the Museum’s most viewed paintings. It also evoked the gardens at both the Villa and Center. The goal of The Iris was to bring readers inside Getty’s work in Los Angeles and all over the world. 

We blogged about the thrills (and terrors) of installing an exhibition and the properties of early propaganda. The Iris blog weathered fires, and explored how artworks survive over time. We even brought you ideas for a great museum date, and showed you how to build an art museum in Animal Crossing

Now, we invite you to explore News & Stories, a new place to discover Getty’s work. You’ll find all of our latest news and engaging stories about art, architecture, conservation, and more. Stories will be easier to find, and paint a fuller picture of Getty’s work. We’ve also redesigned our pages to be more readable and dynamic, and to improve ADA accessibility.

Back in 2010, we laid out our goals for the Iris: 

We hope to make the Getty’s vast resources of art and expertise more accessible and to engage our readers on the issues we’re passionate about: the visual arts in all their dimensions, the furthering of knowledge, the preservation of our artistic heritage, and our community—both here in Los Angeles and the larger international arts community that we serve. 

We’ll keep working to tell these stories because some things never change. Join us!