Getty Research Institute

Beyond the glistening travertine and sprawling gardens of the Getty Center lies a hidden gem, the Getty Research Institute. The Getty Research Institute isn’t just a library. It’s a vibrant hub of art historical scholarship, a place where the past comes alive through a million books, periodicals, and auction catalogs. Established in 1985 as part of the J. Paul Getty Trust, the Getty Research Institute originally bore a more cumbersome name: the “Getty Center for the History of Art and the Humanities.” Imagine stepping into a world overflowing with over two million photographs of art and architecture, alongside rare archives of artists like Malvina Hoffman, whose complete archive was acquired by the Getty as early as 1985. The Getty Research Institute also holds the substantial archive of Harald Szeemann, acquired in 2011, containing over 1,000 boxes overflowing with the history of art. The Institute also boasts the archives of prominent art dealers like Goupil & Cie, Boussod Valadon galleries, Knoedler Gallery, and the Duveen Brothers. Beyond the traditional, the Getty Research Institute embraces the digital. It carries forward the legacy of the Getty Information Institute, producing electronic databases like the Art & Architecture Thesaurus (AAT), the Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names (TGN), and the Union List of Artist Names (ULAN). The Institute also maintains the Bibliography of the History of Art (BHA) and the Getty Provenance Index, invaluable resources for art historical research. But the Getty Research Institute is more than just a repository of knowledge. It’s a living, breathing entity that fosters scholarship through its residential scholars program. Since 1985, the Institute has welcomed scholars from around the world, providing them with the resources and freedom to explore their research interests. The Getty Research Institute also breathes life into art history through its exhibitions. Two major exhibitions each year showcase its special collections and the work of its resident artists. From the photographs of Julius Shulman to explorations of World War I imagery and the cave temples of Dunhuang, the Getty Research Institute invites the public to engage with art history in a tangible way. So, the next time you find yourself at the Getty Center, take a moment to delve deeper. Explore the hidden world of the Getty Research Institute, where the art of the past fuels the scholarship of the future, leaving a lasting legacy for generations to come.