Clinging to a cliffside on the edge of North America stands a replica of a beautiful Italian Villa. This villa is an exact copy of Villa dei Papiri at Herculaneum that was buried in 79 AD with ash from Mount Vesuvius. Why is there a replica of an Italian Villa overlooking the Pacific Ocean? What is there to do at this place? And who decided this tribute to Italian Architecture needed to be built into the hillside? Let’s find out by enjoying a day at Getty Villa.
The Getty Villa was founded by 20th Century American Industrialist J. Paul Getty. His father, George Getty, had made money in the oil industry but J. Paul’s interest lied not in liquid gold, but in literary classics in linguistics. He was fluent is several languages, travelled extensively through Europe and the Middle East, and became a distinguished collector of fine art. His passion was Roman and Greek artifacts.
Getty’s belief was that people should experience great art in their native architectural surroundings. In the wake of 2 World Wars, a fractured Europe coupled with the costs of travel made visiting Italy and Greece impossible for all but the very few. Getty wasn’t dissuaded by economics or geography. He financed the construction of the Italian Villa which houses his collection.
The Villa was originally opened in 1974, quickly becoming one of the cultural landmarks of Los Angeles. Visitors were invited to wander the grounds of the villa, taking in the gardens and breathing the salt-soaked Pacific breeze. Inside the villa’s galleries, guests took in artifacts from across the Greek and Roman Empires.
As visitation grew and more exhibits spilled into hallways and corners, the Getty Trust purchased land in nearby Brentwood. A new museum was built on a hillside overlooking West Los Angeles. This new facility, the Getty Center, opened in 1997. Many of the exhibits from the Villa were relocated to the new facility which has much easier access for guests throughout the region.
The Villa was closed, fully renovated, and reopened with a new amphitheater, entry space, parking, shops, and café in 2006. Today visitors can explore both visiting and permanent exhibits. And they can still walk quietly among the ponds and gardens, imagining what the grounds looked like back in the 1970s, and breathing in the salty Pacific air.
The Getty Villa is located a mile north of Sunset Boulevard along Pacific Coast Highway. It’s a bit out of the way, however, those visiting the City of Angels can easily pair a day trip to the museum with a visit to Zuma or Will Rogers State Beach. You can even take in the sunset and watch for Hollywood stars at one of the many good seaside restaurants in the Palisades or Malibu.
The Getty Villa is open 6-days a week (closed Tuesday), entry is free, though there is a $20 perking fee. Reservations are required.
https://www.getty.edu/visit/villa
