The Getty Center, perched on the hills above Brentwood in Los Angeles, is one of America's great museums. Free to the public and accessible via a computer-operated tram, the complex is a citadel of art and education, all covered in Italian travertine, designed by architect Richard Meier. (It's estimated that the final costs for this state-of-the-art campus totaled just over a billion dollars.)

On a clear day, the views over the city to the Pacific from the garden terraces can compete with what's inside the center's various galleries. No visit to Los Angeles is complete without spending at least half a day at the Getty Center.

http://www.getty.edu/