Tips for Families

Explore the ancient world with kids at the Getty Villa Museum

Three young girls do arts and crafts at an outdoor table covered with a gold table cloth

Preparing for Your Visit

Make a Reservation

Admission to the Getty Villa is free for the whole family: all you need to do is make a timed-entry reservation ahead of your visit. Each person over the age of two needs a reservation; reservations for up to six people can be made in one booking.

During Your Visit

What to Do

A visit to the Getty Villa is a sensory-filled adventure for all ages. Explore centuries of ancient art and all of the details of the unique interiors and gardens. Even the floors and ceilings hold surprises!

Family Forum

Play and learn together in a fun-filled space designed for kids and families. Hands-on activities explore the world of ancient Greek vases: how they were made, decorated, and used.

Art Detective Cards

Hunt for clues as you explore the Getty Villa inside and out, and uncover the answers to trivia questions on these cards. Pick them up in the Entry Pavilion. Available in English and Spanish.

Audio Tour: "The Demigods"

Go on a personal quest around the Getty Villa Museum: meet heroes and dodge monsters, avoid a certain unfriendly god, and discover your godly relative by journey's end. Inspired by the popular Percy Jackson book series. Available online.

Ask Questions

Find out what your kids think about the art and keep the conversation going by asking for answers rather than giving them. Here’re a couple to start you off: What's happening here? What would it be like to be a part of this work of art?

Tell Stories

Make up a story with your child about an artwork they find interesting. Here are some prompts to get you started: What happened right before the moment we see here? What’s going to happen next?

Play!

Play is learning! The Villa recreates the type of house that a wealthy Roman family would have lived in. Pretend to be that family and share ideas about what it would have been like to live in such a house in different seasons, or at night versus daytime.

Have your children pretend to be a person in an artwork or to imitate their pose. Or, ask them to describe the form of an artwork with their hands rather than words.

Make Art

Bring some paper and pencils or colored pencils and draw in the galleries or outside—whatever inspires you! Please note that pens and markers are not permitted in the galleries, and that adults should carry pencils when not in use.

Where to Eat

Boxed lunches and drinks are for sale at the Cafe and Coffee Cart. Learn more about dining options. You can also bring a picnic to enjoy in any of the Villa's public seating areas.

Gallery Restrictions

Front-facing child carriers are the only type of carrier permitted in galleries. Carriers that require a child to be placed on the back are not allowed and must be checked at the Coat Check located in the Atrium.

Baby bottles are allowed in the galleries, but all other food or beverages are not. 

Stroller and Wheelchair Rentals

Standard strollers and wheelchairs are available for free rental on a first-come, first-served basis in the Entry Pavilion.

Restrooms

Family restrooms are equipped with diaper-changing facilities and a unisex stall for helping a companion. Find one next to the Museum Store and the other at the tour bus drop-off area. All of our public restrooms have diaper-changing tables.

A caregiver and smiling child sit outside on a stone bench, enjoying snacks from an open backpack.

Enjoy an outside picnic in one of our seating areas in the garden, outside the Cafe, or in the Outdoor Amphitheatre.

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