A Sneak Peek at the Getty Villa in Malibu

Getty Villa Inner Peristyle

Inner Peristyle
© 2005 Richard Ross with the courtesy of the J. Paul Getty Trust

The Getty Villa will open on January 28, 2006, with a new mission as an educational center and museum dedicated to the study of the arts and cultures of ancient Greece, Rome, and Etruria. It will serve a varied audience through the permanent collection, changing exhibitions, conservation, scholarship, research, and public programs.

The Museum's antiquities collection will be woven together with the Villa's setting and programs to create an integrated educational and cultural institution providing a wide range of experiences for students, scholars, specialized professionals, and general audiences.

The J. Paul Getty Museum at the Villa will be the new home for approximately 44,000 Greek, Roman, and Etruscan antiquities, of which over 1,200 will be on view at opening. The renovated galleries will now be arranged by theme for easier accessibility. These groupings of objects will allow visitors to explore and understand the cultures, beliefs, and artistic achievements of the ancient world in context.

Gods and Goddesses gallery
Gods and Goddesses gallery
© 2005 Richard Ross with the courtesy of the J. Paul Getty Trust

Gallery themes include Gods and Goddesses, Dionysos and the Theater, Men in Antiquity, and Monsters and Minor Deities, among others.

The works will be installed in 23 galleries, with an additional five devoted to changing exhibitions that allow for the presentation of focused shows, often featuring materials on loan from other institutions. These exhibitions may also incorporate works from the special collections of the Research Library at the Getty Research Institute (GRI) and reflect the scholarly activities of the Museum, the GRI, and the Getty Conservation Institute.

The TimeScape Room, the Family Forum, and the GettyGuide Room will provide fun, interactive presentations for visitors of all ages. Upstairs, the oak-lined Reading Room will offer a quiet spot to browse books and catalogs related to the Villa, the antiquities collection, and current exhibitions.

Getty Villa outdoor classical theater

Watercolor rendering of the Barbara and Lawrence Fleischman Outdoor Theater

Visitors can also look forward to a new Cafe, Museum Store, and the 250-seat Auditorium, as well as an open-air Entry Pavilion and the new, dramatic 450-seat Barbara and Lawrence Fleischman Theater, an outdoor classical theater based on ancient prototypes.

Hours and Admission
Admission to the Getty Villa is FREE. Advance, timed tickets are required for each individual and can be obtained online at www.getty.edu or by phone at (310) 440-7300, beginning November 3, 2005, at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Standard Time. Groups of nine or more must obtain tickets by phone. The ticketing process will allow for a smooth, evenly paced flow of visitors through the intimate setting of the Villa.

The Getty Villa will be open Thursday–Monday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and closed Tuesday, Wednesday, and major holidays.




The Getty Center in Los Angeles
The Getty Center in Los Angeles

Visit the Getty Center in Los Angeles
The Getty Center in Los Angeles will continue to house the J. Paul Getty Museum's collection of European paintings, drawings, manuscripts, sculpture and decorative arts, and European and American photographs.

The Getty Center is open Tuesday–Thursday and Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., closed Monday and major holidays. No tickets or reservations are required. See Visit for parking, directions, and events.


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