Originally built in 1974 to house the J. Paul Getty Museum. After most of the collections were moved to the new Getty Center in 1997, the Villa was closed for renovation. It reopened in 2006.
The original Villa was modeled after a Roman villa. The $275 million renovation by architects Machado & Silvetti added a parking structure, an amphitheater, a café, a bookstore for the public plus a research and conservation facility. The Villa now showcases Greek and Roman antiquities exclusively.