Getty Villa
By Naomi January 01, 2015 travel, usa
One sunny Tuesday morning, I ventured out of the bustling downtown Los Angeles in search of something a little quieter and removed from the Hollywood Chaos.
Donated by J. Paul Getty, this museum has been around for quite some time, but for some reason, I've only just found out about it recently.
Entrance is free, but you have to pre-book tickets online and pay $15 for parking. We picked a cold day to drop by, which also meant less crowds and more time to casually stroll around to admire the exhibits.
There's a whole story surrounding this villa and how it is based off the Villa of the Papyri in Herculaneum. Having studied ancient architecture in University and an affinity for Roman history, I felt like a kid in a candy store the moment I walked in.
Ionic and Corinthian columns bring me right back to ARTH123.
Housed in this complex are thousands of artifacts which have been collected and obtained over many years by the Getty family. It's simply amazing to think that these things were made without the use of modern tools and that they were used by people thousands and thousands of years ago.
I can barely wrap my head around the idea that when these items were made and used in a time where everything was completely different from what we are used to. Imagine touching one of these objects and knowing that some person thousands of years ago touched it too.
From the perspective of skill and technique, it's amazing as well. To think that all these objects were handmade, and the process discovered from scratch, is absolutely mindblowing.
We spent our entire day there and didn't get to see half the things that were on display. After a week of insane Los Angeles driving and crowded places, this place was just the perfect little getaway.
naomi
