Getty’s Book of the Dead, on view for the first time; Dream of Darkness, a video game about the Conquest of Mexico

The Egyptian Book of the Dead

Through January 29, 2024

Getty Villa Museum

“Book of the Dead” is a modern term for a series of ancient Egyptian spells—instructions and incantations that would help the deceased find their way to the afterlife. This new exhibition features the Getty’s Book of the Dead manuscripts—conserved, studied, and on public view for the first time. “The ‘book’ shows how the Egyptians were making sense of the world around them,” says curator Sara E. Cole. “And it confronts a universal anxiety—what happens when we die?”

Explore this major new exhibition

Learn more about the Egyptian spells

Getty announces SoCal-wide public programming for PST ART: Art & Science Collide

The next PST ART (a region-wide art collaboration previously known as Pacific Standard Time) will offer a dazzling spectrum of public programs next fall—from cutting-edge performing arts commissions to rocket launches, and from participatory art projects and action-centered discussions to a free outdoor art and science family festival—all on the theme of Art & Science Collide.

See what organizations around LA are cooking up for fall 2024

Dream of Darkness

In the upcoming horror game Dream of Darkness, players will assume the role of Marina—a character based on a real-life Indigenous Nahua woman enslaved by the Spanish during the early 16th century. To develop the game, Javier Rayón is consulting the newly digitized Florentine Codex, the encyclopedic 16th-century manuscript that includes the account of the conquest of Mexico told from an Indigenous Nahua perspective.

Explore the video game

An artist inspired by Edgar Allan Poe

In one of Edgar Allan Poe’s gothic short stories, a court jester takes revenge on his king in a morbid fiery spectacle. Belgian artist James Ensor depicted the dark tale in a hand-colored print that’s part of the Getty Library’s special collections.

Read more about the dark arts of Ensor and Poe

Site & Sounds: The Florentine Codex at the Getty Center

Saturday, November 4, 4:00–5:00 pm
Getty Center, Museum Courtyard

To celebrate the launch of the Digital Florentine Codex, join us and LAist for an outdoor concert featuring Lu Coy, who finds inspiration in ancient texts, stories, and musical traditions. Xochi Cuicatl opens the performance with sounds of Mesoamerica, and LAist reporter Adolfo Guzman-Lopez and Getty researcher Kim Richter discuss the historical resonances of the Florentine Codex in Southern California.

Learn more and get tickets to this free event

Papyrus Scroll Making Family Workshop

Saturday, November 4, 11:00 am–3:00 pm
Getty Villa

Become a scribe and create your own papyrus scene inspired by illustrations in the Book of the Dead. Learn about the making and use of the scrolls and ancient Egyptian art and belief. Complements the new exhibition The Egyptian Book of the Dead.

Learn more about this free drop-in workshop

Selected Shorts on Tour

Saturday, November 11, 3:00 and 6:00 pm
Getty Center, Harold M. Williams Auditorium

This year, the tradition of Selected Shorts at the Getty Center is amplified by the vibrant literature-lovers of Belletrist, an online reading community. Two Saturday performances feature a selection of classical and contemporary short stories, performed by stars of film, TV, and stage. Tales by narrative masters and bold new voices are co-curated by Selected Shorts and Belletrist founders Emma Roberts and Karah Preiss.

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William Blake and India

Sunday, November 12, 2:00 pm
Getty Center, Harold M. Williams Auditorium

When artist William Blake lived in London from the late 18th to the early 19th century, the city was both the center of a global empire and a hoard for art from around the world. Indian art was especially prevalent. In this talk, British art scholar Tara Contractor explores works from the exhibition William Blake: Visionary alongside Indian artworks that likely inspired Blake.

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