The Getty Villa

About the Business

Specialties

The Getty Villa in Malibu is an educational center and museum dedicated to the study of the arts and cultures of ancient Greece, Rome, and Etruria. See antiquities organized by theme -- such as women and children, gods and goddesses, and the Trojan War -- and enjoy changing exhibitions, Roman-inspired gardens, and public programming including lectures, theater productions, and film series. Admission is FREE with your advance, timed ticket. Special Hours: Early closure at 5:00 p.m.: Saturday, June 10, 2017 Holiday closures: Thanksgiving, December 25 (Christmas Day), and January 1

History

Established in 1974.

Originally opened in 1974, the Getty Villa is modeled after the Villa dei Papiri, a Roman country house in Herculaneum that was buried by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in A.D. 79. The lush and scenic site occupies a small canyon that is defined by the coastal mountains to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. Following a major renovation, this cultural landmark re-opened in 2006 as an educational center and museum dedicated to the study of the arts and cultures of ancient Greece, Rome, and Etruria. Prior to the opening of the Villa in 1974, this site served as the first home of the J. Paul Getty Museum, which occupied a wing of the original ranch house beginning in 1954.