Last Day in the USA: Getty Centre, Santa Monica and Venice Beach

We are all packed and ready to go and are awaiting departure at Los Angeles airport. We had a fantastic last day on our art and science tour visiting the Getty Centre in the hills surrounding the exclusive area of Bel Air. The centre has a remarkable art collection such as Van Gogh's Irises as well as special exhibitions.

Fantastic views of Los Angeles from the Getty Centre.

We then travelled on a special coach for the day to Santa Monica to have lunch, purchase the last lot of souvenirs and visit the famous Santa Monica Pier.

Santa Monica 3rd street Promenade

Santa Monica beach and pier.

On the pier

Our last place to visit was Venice Beach to see the muscle men and women, other locals and to have an icecream.

The lights at LACMA and the smell of tar

After our amazing science adventure we made good use of our daily metro pass and caught light rail, the subway and a 'rapid' bus to get to LACMA ( Los Angeles County Museum of Art) on Wilshire Boulevard. An installation called 'Urban Light' by Chris Burden filled the entry plaza into the gallery and caught the interest of everyone.

The gallery has a number of buildings featuring different periods and cultures of art. In the short time we had at the gallery, we managed to find some key examples and wished we had more time to investigate their huge art collection.

When leaving the gallery, visitors have been sticking their entry ticket to traffic light poles outside the gallery creating an art installation in itself. Of course, we added to the display!

Next door to LACMA is the La Brea Tar Pits where bubbling tar erupts under the water and in the ground. It is here that a huge number of fossils have been recovered from the prehistoric period of animals that existed such as sabre tooth tigers and woolly mammoths.

Trying to lift metal bars through thick tar.

Looking at the skull of a sabre tooth tiger.

A laboratory where they investigate fossils and bones found in the tar pits - looks a bit like Jurassic Park!

Examples of creatures that existed in this spot thousands of years ago.

Bubbling tar next to busy Wilshire Boulevard.

Day 10: Space Shuttles, LACMA and La Brea Tar Pits

On yet another warm and sunny morning, we ventured across the city to the Californian Science Centre in the Los Angeles Expo district. Science museums in the US are always crowded and busy, so there are lots of inquisitive people coming to visit. Of particular interest at the science museum was the space shuttle Endeavour, housed in its own purpose built hanger. The display showed a film documenting the transfer of the shuttle through the streets of Los Angeles to the California Science Museum. It was amazing to walk beneath and to see its surface and the materials used to construct it.

The space shuttle Endeavour

Inside a simulated space station in the Journey to Space exhibition

Interactive space displays

Sandy, Rose and Elia playing with the astronaut displays

Melanie and Sandy as 'astronauts'

Mr O'Connell as 'The Martian'

Sandy on the high wire bicycle

Day 9: A Universal Day Out

Just one metro stop from our local station is Universal City - a business/shopping centre and Universal Studios. The current main attraction at Universal Studios is Harry Potter's Wizarding World of Magic, so it was the first place we visited. While the crowds grew during the day, the waiting time for rides and attractions was minimal. Everyone had a great time, especially the Harry Potter fans amongst us. The Jurassic Park and Mummy's Revenge rides were also popular, as was the Waterworld show with a number of our students determined to get wet!

The entrance to Universal Studios

Hannah, Taylor and Elia at the studio entrance

Outside Harry Potters Wizarding World of Magic.

The Street of Hogsmeade

Hannah and Taylor about to try Butterbeer

Michael enjoying a sip of Butterbeer

Flight of the Hippogriff in Harry Potter world.

On the a Studio Lot tour

The French Quarter of Universal Studios.

Jungle Book at El Capitan

Tonight we went to the famous El Capitan heritage theatre in Hollywood Boulevard to see the Jungle Book in 3D. The theatre has been the venue for many Disney film openings.

Mexicana for an afternoon

Olvera Street is known as the 'birthplace' of Los Angeles with its Mexican marketplace and heritage buildings, some of which are the oldest in Los Angeles.

Getting lunch at the Mexican Marketplace

Local entertainers in the Mexican marketplace in the Paseo de la plaza

Buildings in the El Pueblo district in Los Angeles.

Amazing Architecture continues with the Walt Disney Concert Hall

Across the road from the Broad Museum is the Frank Gehry designed Walt Disney Concert Hall. Built in his characteristic style of curved and twisted stainless steel forms, Gehry's concert hall was altered from its original stone to steel cladding to meet design specifications for earthquakes. Whilst the building has the name of Walt Disney from its financial benefactor, it is owned by the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Every twist and turn in the building was an amazing photo opportunity.

Day 8: Heading Downtown to the Broad, Walt Disney Concert Hall and Olvera Street Mexican Village

Today we use our 'tap' subway tickets (much like an Opal card but it can only be used a day at a time for under a weeks stay) to go 'downtown' into the city of Los Angeles.  First, we visited the iconic 'Last Bookshop', a huge store full of second hand and new books in an old heritage building. The displays were set up like an art installation and provided loads of atmosphere.

The Last Bookshop in downtown LA

Our mid morning booking at The Broad, a new contemporary art museum, was an exciting experience with so many famous works by artists such as Jeff Koons, Barbara Kruger, Roy Lichtenstein and Andy Warhol. The building was an amazing design as well.

Crossing the road outside the Broad Art Museum

Callum and Emma with two of Jeff Koon's famous sculptures - Rabbit and Balloon Dog

Looking at Warhol

Oly and a Jean Michel Basquiat

Outside the famous Broad museum