Visiting the Getty Villa in LA: Stunning Architecture Over Statues
After a hearty breakfast in San Diego, we took a leisurely drive up to LA. Since my friend was visiting LA, they suggested we check out the Getty Villa, a place I'd wanted to visit for a long time, so we drove for over two hours to get there. Thankfully, my friend had already taken care of all the annoying prep work like advance reservations and tickets, so I could just tag along completely stress-free.
Even the walk up to the entrance after parking put me in a good mood. With California's signature clear blue sky and the tall trees blending together, it felt like a nice stroll. The sun was shining perfectly, making just walking around feel incredibly refreshing.
As we reached the pavilion marking the entrance, there was already quite a line of morning visitors. Once we officially went inside, there was an Egyptian exhibition going on. Seeing the facial structures of people from thousands of years ago and actual mummies up close was really fascinating and fun at first. Along the exhibition route, there was an interactive area where kids could try on Egyptian helmets and traditional clothes to play shadow games, giving the place a pretty lively vibe. I was also intrigued the first few times I looked at papyrus covered in ancient text or sarcophagi with elaborately painted faces. However, after seeing similar styles of artifacts over and over, I quickly got used to it. Toward the second half, I didn't feel as moved by the exhibits themselves and felt my concentration slipping.
Just as my interest in the exhibits was fading, we stepped outside, and the true beauty of the building started to catch my eye. Looking down from up high, you get a sweeping, refreshing view of the Pacific Ocean beyond the forest. It's not easy to enjoy an ocean view like this from an art museum back in Korea, so I was really envious of the location.
Walk a little further, and you come across a massive outdoor amphitheater that gives off strong ancient Roman or Greek vibes. The tiered seating harmonizes beautifully with the red-toned main museum building standing tall behind it. It was peaceful seeing people sitting in small groups on the stone steps, relaxing and enjoying the sunshine.
Looking up above the amphitheater, a spacious terrace area with parasols catches your eye. There's a cafe up there, and if things had gone according to my original plan, I would have ordered a cup of coffee, read a book, and quietly admired the surrounding scenery. It's the absolute best spot to enjoy the gorgeous view of the architecture, sunshine, and water all coming together.
But reality wasn't as relaxing as I'd imagined. As I approached the cafe, I realized that finding an empty seat was like finding a needle in a haystack, probably because it was the weekend and swarming with crowds. It was a struggle just to take a single decent landscape photo without people in it, so I gave up on the cafe entirely and decided to just focus on touring the building.
Coming back inside and walking slowly, I was amazed all over again by the intricate interior details of the building. Beneath the ornate, classical patterns on the ceiling, I also spotted someone who looked like a guide passionately explaining something to a group of visitors.
In one space, the center of the ceiling is cut out in a square, framing the blue sky perfectly like a picture. I can't even begin to guess just how much money J. Paul Getty, the oil tycoon who built this massive place, must have had to construct a private residence with such overwhelming scale and detail.
People usually consider the massive Getty Center up on the hill as a must-visit spot on an LA trip, and treat the Getty Villa here as more of an optional add-on if they have extra time in their itinerary. However, setting aside the scale of the exhibits, I actually recommend visiting the Getty Villa if you're just looking at the beauty of the architecture itself. If you're someone who would rather get the perfect shot against the backdrop of beautiful ancient architecture and the ocean rather than looking at statues and art inside a museum, you will absolutely be satisfied here. It's a shame I couldn't read my book because of the crowds, but it was still a very visually pleasing day.
Below, I've just laid out the rest of the photos I took at the Getty Villa. I'd love to explain them one by one, but I've forgotten some details and honestly, I'm a bit too lazy. There are plenty of risqué paintings too, so just focus and enjoy them on your own.
