The Getty Villa

“A pleasant surprise is in store for you.”

The Getty Villa

getty columns

Located in the Pacific Palisades, the Getty Villa boasts beautiful views of the nearby Malibu coastline. Its architecture, though, remains strictly ancient Greece and Rome. (The villa is not to be confused with its sister site, the Getty Center, which houses more modern acquisitions.)

Meant to emulate a Roman-style villa, the museum was inspired by the Villa of the Papyri at Herculaneum. The Getty Villa first opened in 1974. Its Greek, Roman, and Etruscan antiquities can date all the way back to 6,500 BC.

Admission is free, but timed entry tickets are needed to visit the museum. Make sure to reserve in advance!

Here are highlights from my trip:

Savor the elegant columned hallways

Admire the immense outside pool

Delight in the inner fountain area

Walk along the herb garden

Check out the marbled walls

Examine the detailed ceilings

Find ancient treasures (my favorite was this beggar girl coin bank, a Roman piece from AD 25-50)

 

 

Number One New Release
BookEnds Author Interview

Comments

  1. It’s a gorgeous place that I’ve visited too. Have you seen the movie about the kidnapping of the grandson of Getty who built this villa? It’s pretty interesting and show the man under a different angle.

  2. Indeed a beautiful place. Our writing group used the villa as a one-day (well, several hours) writing retreat and had a picnic there.

  3. Indeed a beautiful place. Our writing group used the villa as a one-day (well, several hours) writing retreat and had a picnic there.

  4. We are about to embark on a trip to San Diego and have contemplated a drive up to LA to the Getty Museum. The Villa looks interesting too. Thanks for sharing!

    • Jennifer Chow says

      You’re very welcome, Julia! San Diego, of course, has a ton of interesting activities that can fill up your entire time. (If you do have to choose between the two Gettys, I think the Getty Center is more flexible because you don’t need timed tickets. It also has a wider mix of artwork and gorgeous landscaping and views.)

Speak Your Mind

*

%d bloggers like this: