The Facts
On October 20, 2026, the Getty Museum published a feature tracing the history of sleep and beds through its collection, from an ancient Greek kline on a 390–380 BCE vase to a French lit à la polonaise dating to about 1775–80. Written by Erin Migdol, the article includes images of royal bedrooms, such as Louis XIV’s at Versailles and Marie Antoinette’s at Fontainebleau, and cites sleep historian Roger Ekirch on preindustrial sleep habits, including biphasic sleep. It also spotlights Getty podcasts and ASMR videos, including a bedtime meditation featuring the blue French bed.
The Signal
By pairing decorative-arts objects with contemporary sleep science and wellness media, Getty is positioning its collection as relevant to modern audiences and daily life. The feature uses Ekirch’s scholarship to explain that segmented sleep was once the norm, a point that may resonate with readers now exploring sleep optimization. For museum professionals, it shows how digital content can extend the reach of a permanent collection beyond gallery walls without a new exhibition or acquisition.
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- Artists: Meleager Painter, Master of the Jardin de vertueuse consolation, Jean-Baptiste Tilliard, John F. Jarvis
- People: Erin Migdol, Roger Ekirch, Louis XIV, Marie Antoinette, Empress Josephine, James Garfield, Marie de Medici
- Museums: Getty Museum
- Locations: Los Angeles
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