All-Staff Update: Remarks on Getty Reopening
by Steve Olsen
March 30, 2021
In the past year I have had to deliver some difficult news about the COVID-19 pandemic. Today’s message is different. It looks forward to a more hopeful future for the Getty community. I would like to share with you Getty’s plans for welcoming visitors back to our museums. I’ll also describe our plans to return our employees to a safe worksite.
My thanks to all Getty staff, volunteers, and docents for your work during this past year. All of you have faced great personal and work challenges and too many of you have experienced heartbreaking losses.
Thanks especially to those who have kept our facilities safe and clean, tended our beautiful gardens and grounds, provided food service, maintained our physical plant, protected our collections and scientific equipment, helped our staff to obtain library materials, and ensured that we all continue to get paid. I also appreciate the sacrifices of employees working from home under unique, challenging and often isolating circumstances.
Through staff surveys, we have learned that the vast majority of our employees have confidence that the Getty Center and Villa are safe working environments. It is also true that some staff have concerns about returning or have questions about how their safety is being protected. These are fair questions.
Getty has gone the extra mile to protect our workers. As we move forward, safety will be our primary consideration. We will make adjustments if circumstances change. You can read about our safety procedures, which are posted on the HR page on Getty GO.
While the pandemic isn’t over, very good progress has been made in Los Angeles to reduce infections and increase vaccinations. It’s time for all of us to get ready for the day when we can return to our worksites.
A key part of our plan is testing employees and helping to get them vaccinated. Getty has been helping hundreds of our workers become eligible for vaccinations. This includes security officers, visitor services associates, engineers, and logistics staff. Our contract employers, Bon Appetit and UniServe, have also helped their employees get vaccinated.
In LA County, eligibility for vaccinations is expanding rapidly. As of April 1, everyone age 50 or older will be eligible. On April 15, everyone age 16 or older will be eligible.
I strongly urge all Getty employees, contract staff, volunteers, and docents to get vaccinated as soon as you can, with any of the available vaccines. All of them have been proven to be safe and highly effective.
For now, Getty will not be able to obtain vaccines to provide shots at our worksites. However, we have posted links on Getty GO to LA County and other sites to assist with appointment scheduling.
Getty’s weekly onsite COVID testing program has been very effective. Staff tells us that the program helps them feel safe at our worksites. We will continue the program at least through May for staff working on site.
I am happy to announce that the Getty Villa will reopen to the public on Wednesday April 21. The Villa will be open six days per week (closed Tuesday) from 10 am to 5 pm.
All visitors will need to get advance timed reservations. Initially, the number of visitors will be limited to 300 per day, and will gradually increase as permitted by health officials. Rigorous infection control procedures will be in effect. Visitors will be given temperature screens at arrival. They will be required to wear masks except when eating in designated seating areas. Food service will be limited to the Coffee Cart.
There will be no docent tours or events, and some areas like the Family Room and Theater will be closed. Audio guides will no longer be provided, but the new Getty Guide download will be available.
I am also very excited to share that the April 21 Villa opening will be preceded by a Staff Preview week starting April 14. Staff and immediate family members will have an opportunity to visit the Villa through advance timed reservations. Invitations for staff will be limited and available on a first-come-first-served basis. So keep an eye out for an announcement soon. We also intend to provide special opportunities for volunteers, docents, patrons, and council members to obtain reservations when the Villa opens to the public starting April 21.
The Getty Center will reopen to the public on Tuesday, May 25. Similar to the Villa, we will limit the number of daily visitors. The Center also will require advance timed reservations, mandatory wearing of masks, and will have limited services. There also will be a Staff Preview week beginning on May 18, and we will provide opportunities for volunteers, docents, patrons, and council members to obtain reservations when the Center opens to the public starting May 25.
As we welcome visitors back to the Villa and Center, additional staff will be scheduled to return to work on site. This will include additional security officers, visitor services associates, retail associates, and a limited number of volunteers. There are no immediate plans for docent tours. Check with your supervisor or volunteer coordinator regarding schedules and training.
The return of office-based employees is a more complex issue. Employers across the nation are struggling with this issue. You may have read news about some companies who are not planning to bring back office workers until next year.
As of today, LA County does not allow office workers on site. While this may change, we expect that Getty will initially be allowed to return only a limited number of staff to our offices. A Getty committee is currently working to resolve a number of issues regarding office space, work schedules, parking and transportation, technology, and safety guidelines. As these issues are resolved, we will be able to provide you with more specific information about the timing of office staff returns. However, it is unlikely that any office staff will be returning until July, and regular schedules for office staff might not resume until September.
Employees will be required to wear masks and maintain social distance. Even though there will be limited food service at the cafes, office pantries are closed, and coffee machines are not available. Business travel is still not allowed. It will be some time before the office environment returns to a pre-pandemic state.
To sum up—get your shots, and help a friend get theirs!
I look forward to seeing you all soon.
Stay safe!