Step 1: Request a visit time
A reservation may be made for up to 100 students in grades K–12. If the number of students is larger than the daily maximum capacity, please submit separate requests.

Scheduling FAQs

Q: May I make a school/summer group reservation over the phone?
Due to the high volume of school requests and the number of details we must collect, it is preferred to use the online request system, however if you need further assistance, please contact School Group Reservations at (310) 440-7322.

Q: I am bringing more/fewer students than I indicated in my request. How do I make a change?
Please call School Group Reservations at (310) 440-7322.

Q: I don't want a tour. Do I have to make a reservation?
Yes, reservations are required for all school groups. All reservations include a Guided Tour. Groups may explore the gardens with chaperones following their lunch.


Confirmation
Due to the high volume of requests that we receive, we prioritize sending confirmations according to the date of the visit requested. If you have any questions on the status of your request or you have not received a confirmation email within four weeks, please call School Group Reservations at (310) 440-7322.

Step 2: Recruit Chaperones
We require one teacher or adult for every 10 students (a maximum of two per group). Chaperones are responsible for monitoring and accompanying students at all times during their visit, even if students are high-school aged, for safety and security purposes.

Please be prepared to separate your entire group into smaller groups for the Guided Tour. Your flexibility and assistance with this process are greatly appreciated.

After the tour, please keep students in chaperone-led groups for exploring the gardens. Students may re-enter the galleries with their chaperone but please avoid interrupting tours in progress or rooms that may be crowded.

Chaperone FAQs

Q: What responsibilities do chaperones have?
All chaperones are responsible for monitoring student behavior and making sure the group stays together, even if students are high-school aged. During a Guided Tour, each chaperone must stay with the tour and be fully engaged for the duration.

Q: Is there a maximum number for chaperones?
Yes. A maximum of two chaperones per 10 students may join each guided group. Additional chaperones may tour the galleries on their own and rejoin the group for lunch.

Q: Do I really need chaperones for my high school students? They are practically adults.
Yes. All groups in grades K-12 must be accompanied by a non-student adult aged 18 or older for safety and security purposes. If students are found wandering the site without adequate chaperones, they will be required to rejoin their chaperone or leave the galleries.

Q: How long will my entire visit last?
Please estimate that your entire visit will last approximately two - three hours. However, your group may stay at the Getty in small groups with chaperones if your schedule permits. Please avoid interrupting tours in progress or rooms that may be crowded.

Step 3: Confirm Transportation
Parking is FREE for K - 12 groups who have made reservations for a Guided Tour.

If chaperones want to arrive separately by car, when filling out your application, make sure to use the field where you can indicate that additional chaperones will be arriving by car in order to receive accommodations. If you need to make changes to an existing reservation, please call School Group Reservations at (310) 440-7322.

The Getty offers bus funding for eligible Title I schools or organizations which meet eligibility guidelines. Funding is limited; distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis and not guaranteed. If bus funding is available at the time you request a visit, the online request system will provide further instructions and information. Bus funding is only available for visits scheduled before June 6, 2025 due to our fiscal year processing.

It is the field trip organizer's responsibility to schedule transportation. If you are approved for bus funding, you will receive instructions about how to schedule your bus prior to your visit. See bus-funding guidelines for more information, or call School Group Reservations at (310) 440-7322.

Your Guided Visit
Our "Art of the Ancient World" Guided Tour at the Getty Villa Museum takes students to the ancient Mediterranean World through encounters with works of art. Our guides are trained to facilitate engaging explorations of art using student-centered learning strategies. Students will exercise close looking skills as they identify ancient myths, the Greek and Roman gods and goddesses, and heroes and monsters. They will consider how these objects and ideas still have an impact on our daily lives today.

Students practice looking closely at one or more artworks in each gallery, learning to actively construct understanding using their own observations.

Content Standards: Lessons address Common Core Standards and English-Language Arts: Literary Response and Analysis; History-Social Science; Visual Arts: Artistic Perception, Historical and Cultural Context, Aesthetic Valuing.

Guided Tour FAQs

Q: How long is the guided portion of the visit?
Guided tours are 60 minutes: three 20-minute stops, each in a different gallery. Please arrive on time. Arriving late may cause your tour to be shortened. Summer tours are 45 minutes.

Q: Can my students have a tour of a particular exhibit or display?
Unfortunately, we cannot conduct Guided Tours of specific exhibitions, but you may explore any exhibition before or after your lunch.

Q: What if I want to guide my students through the galleries myself?
You are welcome to do so after the Guided Tour. This is an ideal time for customized lessons, or for teacher-led exploration. We encourage you to use our Self-Exploration Visit Activities

Q: Will clipboards and pencils be available for my visit?
Yes. Please note your request ahead of time in reservation notes.

Before Your Visit
Introduce your students to the museum:

• Explore works of art in the collection
• Explore current exhibitions
• Pre-visit activities for all ages
• Video on the history of the Getty Villa (12 min)

After Your Visit
Use these simple post-visit activities to remind students about what they saw and reinforce what they learned during their guided visit.

Guided tours address Common Core Standards and support the Visual Arts Content Standards in the areas of Artistic Perception; Historical and Cultural Context; Aesthetic Valuing; and Connections, Relationships, and Applications. They also address standards in History-Social Science and English-Language Arts.

Lunch Times and Box Lunches
All groups will eat lunch in the Villa Picnic Area.

Picnic guidelines

Your lunch time is determined by your arrival time and cannot be changed.

Lunch FAQS

Q: May we purchase lunches at the Getty?
Teachers can pre order box lunches for students. Please contact Bon Appétit's catering department at (310) 440-6213 or bonappetit@getty.edu for current prices and menus. Box Lunch Menu (PDF)

Q: May we change our scheduled lunch time?
No. Due to the high volume of groups using the lunch facilities, your picnic time cannot be changed.

Q: May we eat lunch inside the Getty Villa Restaurant?
No. At this moment, the Getty Villa Restaurant is available to the visiting public only. Groups will have lunch in the Villa Picnic Area.

Other Frequently Asked Questions

• Do I have to submit an application for each location if I want to come to both the Getty Center and Getty Villa?
• Do you have programs for homeschools?
• How can I determine the appropriateness of the artwork at the Getty?
• What happens if we arrive late?

Q: Do I have to submit an application for each location if I want to come to both the Getty Center and Getty Villa?
Yes, advance requests are required. Submit your request here.

Q: Do you have programs for homeschools?
Yes. Homeschool groups must follow the same guidelines as all other scheduled groups, including bringing 10 students or more.

Q: How can I determine the appropriateness of the artwork at the Getty?
The Getty displays works of art produced throughout ancient Mediterranean art history. Many of these may depict nudity and other potentially sensitive subject matter.

You may wish to notify parents in advance. If you are concerned, we recommend you review our collection on our website or visit the galleries before your trip. Please call School Group Reservations at (310) 440-7322.

Q: What happens if we arrive late?
Arriving late may result in an abbreviated Guided Tour. For the best experience, please arrive on time.