A friend's visit to Los Angeles recently gave me the excuse to visit a local treasure I'd never explored: the Getty Villa. While I've been to the regular Getty, this off-site location houses the Getty's Roman, Greek, and Etruscan treasures.
The Villa went through a major renovation just a few years ago and was the talk of the town, but because I didn't know exactly where it was, and timed tickets are required, I haven't made it out there until now. Tickets are requested online free of charge, and the only payment required is a per-vehicle parking fee. Having seen it in person, the Villa is absolutely worth the investment in planning and time. In fact, it's difficult to take it all in in a single visit. I'll be sure to go again the next time I entertain guests.
There are docent-led garden tours and architectural tours hourly. Inside, one can check out an iPod with an ID as deposit, and listen to self-guided art tours. While most of the art is pulled from the permanent collection, there are traveling exhibits as well. My friend and I unknowingly timed our visit well: the traveling exhibit right now centers on glass!
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The Prometheus Wheel is the focal point of an open-air ampitheater |
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Beautiful frescoes on the ceiling |
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Venus, Roman, AD 100-200 |
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Fountain in the Inner Peristyle |
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Relief of an African Elephant, Roman, AD 79-96 |
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Wall fountain in the East Garden |
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Center fountain in the East Garden |
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Bronze waterspout in the East Garden |
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Mosaic wall fountain in the East Garden |
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Strawberry bush in the East Garden |
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Wall frescoes in the Outer Peristyle |
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Grape arbors providing shade cover |
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Bearded Irises in the Outer Peristyle |
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The Outer Peristyle, looking east towards the building |
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Fountain in the Herb Garden. Love the colorful leaves of the lilypad! |
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Looking down the length of the Herb Garden |
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The fountain in the center of the structure, near the ampitheater, features a wall of flowing water |
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The Outer Peristyle, looking west toward the Pacific ocean. |
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Benches and pathways in the Outer Peristyle |
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Architectural columns and finials in careful detail |
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The temporary exhibit, Ancient Glass and techniques. Mind blowing to think how old these pieces are and all they have survived! |
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