The Getty has Saturdays Off The 405  starting on June 12th. This is nice since they don’t charge for parking after 5:00 on Saturdays and the galleries stay open until nine. Watch the sunset from on high. 

The Getty Museums are  free all the time and everyday of the week. They ask only that you pay to park. That means when you bring a carload of guests from out of town, you can take them to see the beautiful Getty, the collections, and the smashing view all for $15 (as of the last time I went and free after 5:00 PM on Saturdays). The more guests, the cheaper the visit, so carpool with four and enter for less then  $4 apiece.  They will be impressed and amazed.  Another great trick is to drop them off, enjoy a few hours of peace at home, wait for the phone call, and pick them up – with no charge at all. They have a fabulous day and you can run errands guilt free.

All the pertinent information is on their visitors page however it does not tell you that this is a spectacular experience.

The Brentwood Getty affords you a view of the city that is unparalled. On a clear day you can see forever and since they are open until 9 PM on Saturdays you can see the city light up at night.  Walk the interesting garden path, see some art, eat at the reasonable cafeteria or coffee kiosks or the more upscale restaurant or bring your own sandwich – they are user friendly to the point of putting out umbrellas for visitors when it’s raining.  They have free talks and tours about the exhibits. They have fee hands on workshops for kids. The one this week end is  Family Drawing Hour: Exploring Color! Saturday February 20, 2010 3:30 PM geared for families with children ages 7 and up.

Saturday Nights at the Getty (formerly Friday Nights at the Getty) is a free, contemporary performance series featuring an eclectic mix of music, dance, theater, and spoken word events in the auditorium. Only reservations are needed. In the summer they have free outdoor concerts and dancing.  And remember parking is free after 5:00 p.m. and the galleries are open.

The Getty Villa  in Malibu is a museum of ancient Greece, Rome, and Etruria. You can view antiquities, Greek, Roman, and Etruscan antiquities -plus inspired architecture and gardens with a view of the ocean. There are tours and family activities here also. They also have evening activities with play readings and talks. Parking after 5 PM is free for cultural events.

Did I use the word free too many times? These places are so fabulous it’s amazing they and all the activities are free. Give yourself a treat and enjoy them this weekend!