Founded by industrialist J. Paul Getty in 1954, the Getty started as a small museum in Malibu. Today we are the world's largest cultural and philanthropic organization dedicated to the visual arts. Through ambitious projects in Los Angeles and around the world, we work to make a lasting difference in conservation practice, art historical research, and museology and to promote knowledge and appreciation of art by advancing and sharing the world’s visual art and cultural heritage for the benefit of all. The Getty is a community that values differences and diversity in the pursuit of inquiry and knowledge, mutual understanding, respect, trust, transparency, and cooperation.

Mission

Getty is a cultural and philanthropic institution dedicated to the presentation, conservation, and interpretation of the world’s artistic legacy.

Through the collective and individual work of its constituent programs—the Getty Conservation Institute, the Getty Foundation, the J. Paul Getty Museum, and the Getty Research Institute—Getty pursues its mission in Los Angeles and throughout the world, serving both the general interested public and a wide range of professional communities in order to promote a vital civil society through an understanding of the visual arts.

Vision

Getty is dedicated to the proposition that works of art are windows onto the world's diverse and intertwined histories, mirrors of humanity's innate imagination and creativity, and inspiration to envision the future.

To this end, Getty works to:

• Enhance understanding of art through innovative, digitally driven research, shared for the benefit of the widest possible audience;
• Strengthen and broaden our collections to provoke the curiosity of scholars and visitors alike;
• Chart a new course for how art, humanities, and cultural and public policy can together foster a more inclusive, vibrant civil society;
• Serve as a convener and catalyst in the cultural life of Los Angeles; and
• Offer transformative experiences for visitors to our collections, gardens, and facilities at the Getty Center, the Getty Villa, and the Getty's presences online, free of charge now and forever.