Visit Los Angeles: The Getty Villa

The Getty Villa

Address | 17985 Pacific Coast Hwy, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272

Admission is free, parking $25 per car, in advance of your visit, head to the Getty Villa website to reserve your free timed tickets which are required for entry.

The Getty Villa is an art museum in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles, dedicated to the study and display of ancient Greek, Roman, and Etruscan art and culture. It was established by oil magnate J. Paul Getty and opened to the public in 1974. The villa is modeled after the ancient Roman country house, Villa dei Papiri, which was buried by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D. The Villa's architecture is a striking reproduction of an ancient Roman villa, offering a sense of what luxurious life might have been like in the ancient world. It features marble floors, mosaics, and richly adorned colonnades. The Villa is known for its beautiful gardens that feature Mediterranean plants—including olive trees, grape vines, and pretty pomegranate trees— fountains, and statues, designed to reflect ancient Roman horticultural traditions. There is a Central Garden, Herb Garden—as a Chef I spent a lot of time enjoying the wonders of this garden—, and East Garden.

Inside the Villa. visitors can enjoy a stunning collection of Greek, Roman, and Etruscan Art. The Getty Villa houses around 44,000 antiquities, with some pieces dating back to 6,500 B.C. The collection includes sculptures, pottery, jewelry, mosaics, and paintings. Notable works include large-scale Roman statues and Greek bronze sculptures.

Overall, the Getty Villa is a unique cultural and historical attraction that offers visitors a deep dive into the ancient Mediterranean world, while also providing a tranquil and visually stunning setting to enjoy art and history. Once you’ve enjoyed the gardens and art, you can end your visit with a moment of reprieve at the Museum Cafe, and don’t forget to stop into the bookstore for some souvenirs.