The Getty Center will close to the public beginning March 15, 2027, for a year-long renovation project that museum officials call the most significant modernization in the campus's nearly 30-year history. The closure will allow the institution to replace its aging tram system and revamp several art galleries.

Katherine E. Fleming, president and CEO of the J. Paul Getty Trust, explained that the tram, which transports visitors up the hill to the main campus, has become increasingly unreliable after more than three decades of use. The museum draws approximately 1.3 million visitors annually, making the timing of renovations critical as they plan to reopen in spring 2028, just before the Los Angeles Summer Olympics.

During the closure, the Getty Villa will remain open and add a gallery featuring paintings from the Getty Center's collection, including works by van Gogh, Rembrandt, Rubens, Monet, and Degas. The renovation includes modernizing roughly 27,000 square feet of gallery space in the South Pavilion, redesigning the welcome center, and improving parking facilities. Fleming acknowledged the inconvenience but emphasized that condensing the work into one intensive period makes more sense than partial closures that would disrupt visitor experiences.