J. Paul Getty’s original museum is as much about the transporting setting as it is about the pieces inside. When the billionaire oil tycoon decided to open a museum for his extensive collection of antiquities in 1974, he modeled it after an ancient Roman villa that had been buried by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. The estate’s painted ceilings, Roman columns, and marble floors feel at one with the 44,000-strong collection of Etruscan, Greek, and Roman pieces (don’t miss the bronze statue of Herakles, circa 300 B.C.E.). When you stand amid the 64-acre ground’s bronze statues, frescoes, and reflecting pool, the expansive view of the Pacific Ocean offers one of the few clues that you’re in California. A regular stream of theater performances, readings, and academic talks in the open-air amphitheater keeps things heady day and night. Pro tip: Although it’s free, entrance to the Getty Villa requires an advance, timed-entry ticket, bookable online. Don’t miss the 40-minute tours on Thursdays and Saturdays of the four Roman gardens, which cover a fascinating array of mythology and history.
Getty Villa
Lisa Corson, AFAR Media
Getty Villa
Lisa Corson, AFAR Media
Getty Villa
Lisa Corson, AFAR Media
Getty Villa
Lisa Corson, AFAR Media
Getty Villa
Lisa Corson, AFAR Media
Getty Villa
Lisa Corson, AFAR Media
Getty Villa
Lisa Corson, AFAR Media
Getty Villa
Lisa Corson, AFAR Media
Getty Villa
Lisa Corson, AFAR Media
Getty Villa
Lisa Corson, AFAR Media
Getty Villa
Lisa Corson, AFAR Media
More Recommendations
A Roman villa above the Malibu coast
Ensconced on its hill above the Pacific just west of Los Angeles, The Getty Villa is one of the great architecural/museum gems of the entire U.S...and it’s FREE. This reproduction of a volcanically-buried Roman villa, excavated on the slopes of Mt. Vesuvius, today houses the Getty Museum’s collection of Greek, Etruscan and Roman antiquities. The art, marble and gardens of these palatial grounds, infused with southern California’s Mediterranean light, are completely detached from the freeways and smog of nearby L.A. My first visit to the Getty Villa was when I was still a high-school student on the East Coast of the U.S.; coming back years later, after having lived in Europe, the Getty was no less impressive... While there’s no admission cost, you do need to reserve advance tickets in order to visit. For more info: http://www.getty.edu/visit/
Malibu's Mediterranean Haven
If you’re in SoCal and needing a little bit of Italy in your life, visit the Getty Villa. Enjoy a beautiful ocean-view drive along the Pacific Coast Highway, and find the Getty Villa in Malibu (after printing your free tickets from their website, of course). The Villa has a fabulous collection of classical art and antiquities, a theatre where you can see shows in the summer, glistening pools and fountains in the gardens, and all this overlooking the ocean. The villa itself is decorated with marble and porphyry from Europe and Africa, and the cafe is full of tasty Italian meals and coffee. There’s plenty to enjoy both indoors and out...hope your day is as lovely as mine was!
Getty Villa
This is an unbelievable Day Trip for those who live in Los Ang or if you are coming to Ca..Download your Free tickets to have entrance reservation..15.00 for Parking! Then Go Eat at Dukes in Malibu! My Son and i went over Labor Day 2016 and is it FABULOUS !!
