Sitting in the Santa Monica Mountains, the Getty Center is no stranger to wildfires in its proximity. Just two years ago during the Skirball Fire, a small fire started on the museum's adjoining hill. It was put out without incident, in part thanks to the Getty's massive irrigation system.
"We've sealed all of the archives, all of the galleries. No one is going in or out," current vice president of communications Lisa Lapin said.Getty fire: 'Dynamic' wildfire in Los Angeles drives more evacuations in California Why the Getty is so fire-resistantThe $1 billion-complex was designed by Richard Meier and completed more than 20 years ago. His design included safeguards for both earthquakes and fires.
Story continuesOn-site is also a 1 million-gallon water tank that sits underground, below the museum's parking lot. It supplies water to an irrigation system that includes a network of pipes on the property."You don't want to use sprinklers if possible," noted Lapin, because water could damage fragile, rare works.