The Getty Villa is a center committed in bringing together the ancient Roman, Greek, and Etruscan world with the contemporary. It is located in Los Angeles, California and has a collection of over 44,000 artifacts, some of which went back to as old as 6,500 BC to 400 AD. The museum?s own online site, GettyGuide, presented these works of art in an effort to raise awareness to a greater audience.

J. Paul Getty, an oil tycoon, founded the center in 1954 and chose a viable location adjacent to his Paciifc Palisades home. Upon finding out that the gallery can no longer accommodate his growing collection; he built Getty Villa on one of his estate in the same vicinity. The Villa of the Papyri is the main inspiration of the Getty Villa?s design, detailed with replicas from other ancient structures.

In 1976, the museum was opened to the public, but the founder himself failed to visit the place. Getty passed away in 1976. After his death, a sum amounting to $661 million was inherited by the museum which prompted the proposal to build a larger center. However, the plan to construct Getty Center went through arduous debate regarding the its size and location. In settlement, the proponents of the development decided to limit its space by dividing the museum into two. With thus, it was decided that the Getty Villa will house the numerous Greek, Roman, and Etruscan artifacts. In 1997, this collection was temporarily moved to the Getty Center due to renovation and refurbishment efforts.

On January 28, 2006, the Getty Villa was reopened with its new Romanesque architectural designs surrounded by equally Roman-inspired gardens. Despite the controversy the museum faced when the Italian and Greek government demanded the repatriation of looted items and which was acted upon promptly, Getty Villa remains an effective educational center of splendor and antiquity.