The Getty Museum expected big crowds for its recent “family festival” day, involving Mexican singers and art workshops tied to its show of Graciela Iturbide photographs. The organizers got that and more when a flash mob of 200-plus people materialized for the sole purpose of meandering around the museum in (more or less) single file. The gathering was the work of GuerilLA—a sister group of global prank organizer Improv Everywhere—which had notified members of their “mission” via e-mail the day before. Although no major disruptions were reported, one flash mobster says his favorite part was watching camera-toting tourists angle for the perfect family portrait, only to have to wait for the seemingly endless parade of strangers to pass by.

"Get Thee to the Getty" originally appeared in the June 2008 issue of Art+Auction. For a complete list of articles from this issue available on ARTINFO, see Art+Auction's June 2008 Table of Contents.