Getty Center

The Getty Center sits on a hilltop above the 405 freeway, reached by a tram that climbs from the parking structure to Richard Meier's travertine-clad pavilions. The collection covers European painting, drawings, sculpture, and decorative arts through about 1900, with Van Gogh's Irises among the best-known works. Terraced gardens and views across the basin to the ocean are part of the visit, and admission is free.