5 days ago
Getty Villa Museum in Pacific Palisades prepares to reopen months after Palisades Fire forced its temporary closure
At the Getty Villa Museum in the Pacific Palisades, crews have been preparing for its reopening months after the Palisades Fire forced the property to temporarily close.
Since the fire, staff have removed more than 1,300 damaged trees, deep cleaned indoor and outdoor spaces, replaced air and water filters and flushed its water system. Fortunately, none of the buildings were damaged, but the community was still significantly affected.
"It is with the utmost gratitude and appreciation for Getty staff, first responders, and other agencies that we can announce the reopening of the Villa to the public," said Katherine Fleming, president and CEO of the J. Paul Getty Trust. "Without their tireless efforts, we would not be in the position we are in today, where we can welcome back visitors and the surrounding community to enjoy the Villa grounds and collection."
The museum will reopen to the public on June 27, featuring a new exhibition. Claire Lyons, one of the curators of antiquities, is behind the new exhibit that's being shown for the first time anywhere outside of Europe.
"The focus of it is on the Mycenaean culture, the prehistoric culture of Greece, the first civilization of ancient Greece," Lyons said.
"The Kingdom of Pylos: Warrior-Princes of Ancient Greece" will be on display through Jan. 12, 2026. It will showcase over 230 artifacts and works of art from Messenia.
"We are incredibly grateful for the support received from the Museum community and beyond as we work towards reopening the Getty Villa Museum," said Timothy Potts, Maria Hummer-Tuttle and Robert Tuttle, Director of the Getty Museum. "We look forward to welcoming visitors back to explore our newest exhibition, The Kingdom of Pylos, and much more of our treasured antiquities collection this summer."
This exhibit and the rest of the museum are free to visitors, with only a $25 charge for parking.
For generations, school field trips have been a big part of the museum's mission to make art accessible to all.
"We will issue about 500 tickets every day and we'll only be open Friday through Monday," said Desiree Zenowich, interim VP of Communications.
The museum wants to do a slow rollout since access to the Pacific Coast Highway has recently reopened to the public. The museum will not be accessible by Sunset Boulevard, so officials instruct guests to use PCH only.
Zenowich said the amphitheater is also looking forward to hosting a stage production in the fall.
"It will be Oedipus the King, Mamba, which is a mash-up of Oedipus the King with music by Elvis Presley," she said.
While civilizations may rise and fall, it takes dedication to preserve their legacy.
"The doors were shut and sealed with tape to prevent any ash or anything else from coming in," Zenowich said.
