Hi ho....Hi ho....It's off to The Getty Villa we go!

My family hears this silly chant often in my home.

They hear the call and we all get excited. I truly love packing up the troops and driving up the coast to Malibu so we can visit J. Paul Getty’s Roman Villa known simply as The Getty Villa. This newly restored museum houses Mr. Getty’s personal collection of Greek and Roman antiquities. Now you might think Antiquities could be boring, that the kids would never enjoy themselves or would be bored out of their minds. The Getty Villa will not disappoint or bore any member of the family.

One of the largest book series since Harry Potter is called Percy Jackson & The Olympians. Five fantastic books that take the main character on the adventure of a lifetime when he learns he is the Half-Blood son on Poseidon. The author, Rick Riodan, takes Percy and his friends on a modern day quest which explores almost all the great stories of Greek mythology. This series of books has captured the imagination of kids from 3^rd grade to the 40 year olds. The major motion picture of Book 1, The Lightning Theif was just released February 2010. Visiting The Getty Villa is like walking through a quest with Percy Jackson himself. This is what hooks so many kids into this awesome museum.

Our family has been to The Getty Villa many times before we read all these fantastic books. Now our trips are filled with new discoveries. Finding the Greek Gods and Titans and relating them to real events in history as well as comparing them to Percy Jackson’s stories . Noticing how Gods and Goddesses had different names in Greek vs. Roman history. Mythological creatures which seemed to “out of this world” to believe…you actually get to see painted on the side of a 2100 year old vase. How cool is that?

You will find statues 10 feet tall and stunning pottery. Paintings and mosaics -to ancient coins and jewelry. Even mummies! The Getty Villa will always have a new collection to share. The next collection which will open the end of March 2010, will be from the Mayan era. We are already planning our next trip The Villa so we won’t miss out on that one.

There are many computer kiosks located throughout the Villa. The kids really enjoy this medium for discovering new information. They toss on the head phones and press the touch screen, and then off they go learning about how Mummies were made way back when. When they get up, they turn around and go stand over the actually mummy they just saw in the video. Excellent!

The Gardens are my personal favorite. I wish these gardens were my own. So perfectly manicured and full of statutes, one can just roam around and feel lost in time. Our kids love to explore the gardens too. The fountains make the gardens come to life. On a warm day, I will find my favorite little bench in the main garden, and turn my head to the sun and just exhale. “ Ahhhhhhh, heaven! “

The Family Room is a hands on exploration of history and myth. Adults can join in the fun and draw on their own vase or bowl alongside their kids. Then wipe off and create again. There is a theater where the kids don foam costume pieces and perform on a shadow screen. This family fun room is fantastic for capturing some Getty memories on film.

Local Tip#1: Make your reservations in advance. The Getty Villa admission is free of charge. You must have home printed “timed” admission to enter the gates. Get your tickets here. Parking is $15 per car.

Local Tip#2: Start your day at The Villa as early as possible on the weekends. You are able to closer to the museum pieces and enjoy the gardens with less people around. It also makes for great pictures when fewer guests are in your photos.

Local Tip #3:You may get excited when you enter the Villa and want to rush in. My local tip #3 to is to start your Villa Day with the Intro to The Villa movie, located in the main villa lobby- The 12 minute introductory film describes the history, collections, and setting of the Getty Villa. You will have a whole new appreciation for this amazing museum and the man who built it. You can also watch the Intro to The Villa by clicking here.

Local Tip #4: Plan on eating lunch in the Café’. The casual dinning restaurant is beautiful and the food is fantastic! From soups and salads, pizzas and pastas, to my personal favorite “The Roman Burger”, this restaurant will not disappoint. The burger alone is worth the drive from Orange County. The Ahi Salad was exceptional. Dine inside or sit out on the patio and enjoy the views. The service is exceptional.

The Getty Villa offers many events throughout the day. Art Demonstrations, live performances in the open air theater, guided tours etc. They also have a fun gift shop which my kids love to stroll through on every visit.

Grab the family, grab a friend, grab your parents and start the chant…..Hi ho….Hi ho…It’s off to The Getty Villa we go.

Address
17985 Pacific Coast Highway
Pacific Palisades, California 90272

Please note that access to the Getty Villa entrance is only from the northbound right-hand lane of Pacific Coast Highway (PCH).

Hours for the Getty Villa site and galleries:

	Wednesday–Monday		10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
	Tuesday		CLOSED

Closed on January 1, July 4, Thanksgiving, and December 25.