The Getty Center Galleries house one of the most prestigious art collections in the world, spanning European drawings, paintings, illuminated manuscripts, sculpture, and decorative arts from the Middle Ages to the present, as well as international photography. Designed by architect Richard Meier, the galleries are housed in five interconnected pavilions (North, East, South, West, and the Exhibitions Pavilion) that utilize a sophisticated system of computer-controlled louvers to flood the spaces with natural light.

The Central Garden at the Getty Center is often described as a "sculpture in the form of a garden." Designed by renowned contemporary artist Robert Irwin, this 134,000-square-foot evolving work of art is set in a natural ravine between the museum's buildings and is just as vital to the Getty experience as the paintings inside.

The Getty Center Tram is the iconic "hover-train" that serves as the gateway to the Getty Center. Because the museum is perched on a hilltop to distance it from the noise and bustle of the city, this sleek, white tram provides a futuristic, three-minute journey from the parking entrance up to the museum’s arrival plaza. For many, the ride is a highlight of the visit, offering a cinematic transition from the urban sprawl of the 405 Freeway to the serene, travertine "Acropolis" of the Getty.