Mission:
The J. Paul Getty Trust is an international cultural and philanthropic institution devoted to the visual arts that includes the J. Paul Getty Museum, the Getty Research Institute, the Getty Conservation Program, and the Getty Grant Program.

Purpose of Site:
To provide information about the Trust and its various programs, the museum and collections, and research activities. The recently redesigned site also provides information to grantseekers, including its funding priorities and application procedures.

Background:
J. Paul Getty, who built his fortune in oil, believed art was an important influence in society and established the J. Paul Getty Museum in 1953 to make art available to the public for the purposes of education and enjoyment. Getty died in 1976 and most of his personal estate was passed to the Trust in 1982. The organization's trustees began expanding the Trust's contribution to the visual arts by creating new programs and planning for the construction of the Getty Center to house the museum and the Trust's operations. The Center opened in 1997.

Home Page:
The home page invites visitors to explore the Trust's art collections by offering links to Exhibitions, Collections, and New Acquisitions. A Visitor Guide assists those who plan to visit the Getty Center in person, and the About Us section provides links to the Trust's Research Institute, Conservation Institute, Grant Program, Leadership Institute, and Museum. The home page also offers links to articles about art, book reviews, research tools, news items, and more.

Outstanding Feature:
The Explore Art section of the site allows Web users to access information on pieces in the Getty collection. Visitors can browse by artists, collection types, and subjects; zoom in on a picture of each object; and read a summary of the work and information about its artist. In addition, the Video Gallery allows Web visitors to access a series of videos that offer insight into making art, go behind the scenes at the Getty, and give collection tours.

Honorable Mention:
The site provides extensive information for grantseekers in the Trust's three areas of funding — Research, Conservation, and Leadership & Professional Development, including links to programs for scholars, sample grants, and grant application procedures.