The Getty Villa in Malibu includes the only museum in the United States devoted solely to classical antiquities. This guide describes the history of the site and J Paul Getty's decision to house his growing collections in a structure based on an ancient Roman villa. It concludes with a description of the installation of the collections.
The original Getty Museum, located in a replica of a Roman villa overlooking the Pacific Ocean, is a cherished Los Angeles landmark. After nearly ten years of renovations, the Getty Villa is set to reopen in late 2005. This book chronicles the museum's evolution from a small Malibu ranch house to a building designed to mimic the Villa dei Papiri, an ancient Roman villa in Herculaneum. It captures the ten-year journey of transforming a beautiful yet challenging site into a facility that accommodates the museum, an outdoor theater, conservation laboratories, staff offices, and educational programs for all ages. The narrative explores architectural creativity, geographical obstacles, and legal challenges that shaped this unique and stunning location. It offers valuable insights for those interested in architecture and the complexities of large-scale construction in the twenty-first century. Beautifully illustrated, the book features 250 reproductions of artworks, photographs of the old and new museum, site plans, and architectural elevations, making it a comprehensive resource for art and architecture enthusiasts.