Don’t know a Mantegna from a Manet? Help is at hand

You might want to start a visit in one of the museum Entrance Hall’s two theaters, which continually show a nine-minute-long orientation film on the Getty.

* The main information booth in the Entrance Hall is the requisite stop for brochures, maps and details on scheduled talks and tours.

* At the west end of the hall is an audio tour guide desk. The guides cost $2 to rent and contain 6 1/2 hours of information--that’s 270 audio stops in English or Spanish. And, no, you’re not imagining familiar voices in your head: Among the many audio guide narrators are artists John Baldessari and Edward Ruscha, Archbishop Roger Mahony and film director William Friedkin.

* Four gallery pavilions offer art information rooms, where staff members answer questions and visitors can look through books or tap into interactive multimedia programs to discover that the kouros isn’t a Greek appetizer and Cosimo I de’ Medici was not the Joe Pesci character in “GoodFellas.”

* Off the museum courtyard is the family room, with game boxes, children’s activities and suggestions for parents on how to make the Getty experience a bit more accessible for budding Gainsboroughs.

* Baby strollers (and presumably babies) are permitted in all galleries.

* The ever-important Museum Store-- all gleamingly polished bird’s eye maple--sells art posters, books, videos and tchotchkes. It’s located at the east end of the Entrance Hall.

* All galleries, restaurants and libraries are wheelchair-accessible.

* Public restrooms are in the lower tram station, auditorium, cafes and restaurant and throughout the museum.