Why you must visit this recreation of a lavish, long-lost treasure – MASHAHER

To gain an appreciation of the pains Getty took to be true to his vision, take a 40-minute architecture tour led by a well-informed volunteer academic. The tour delves into Getty’s inspiration and highlights details you might miss on a self-guided visit – the intricate mosaic floors, the Corinthian flourishes atop fluted columns, or the four distinct styles of Pompeian wall painting, for instance. Other tours on offer include a garden tour, a collection highlights tour and a special exhibits tour, all offered free on a first-come-first-served basis.

4 Gaze with wonder at Hercules

Getty’s most prized acquisition – and his main inspiration for building a museum dedicated to antiquities – was the larger-than-life Lansdowne Hercules, dating from AD125 and originally discovered on the site of Hadrian’s Villa in 1790. Getty purchased the statue from the estate of British aristocrat Lord Lansdowne in 1951, and it is now displayed in its own “temple” off the Inner Peristyle. At Hercules’ feet is an intricate mosaic flooring, a concentric circle of yellow and grey triangles that replicates the original pavement of Villa dei Papiri in Herculaneum.

5 Wander the grounds

The wonder and beauty continue beyond the villa walls, with the grounds overlooking the Pacific Ocean an integral part of the museum’s design. As in ancient times, formal gardens planted with boxwood, sycamore, bay laurel and ivy offer places of contemplation and respite from the heat, while the herb garden features plants and fruit trees native to the Mediterranean region, including aromatic rows of mint, rosemary, oregano and sage. Beyond the amphitheatre, note the layers of concrete that replicate the strata of an archaeological dig – a mindful addition from a 2006 renovation that provides context to visitors from the moment they enter the site.

6 Small things matter

While grand marble columns, alabaster windows and statues of impossible human perfection are statement pieces, take time to gaze at exquisite personal items displayed in cabinets – delicate gold Ptolemaic jewellery, hand-blown Greek and Roman glassware, and brass drinking vessels adorned with erotic images of centaurs. Also, don’t miss the display of mummy portraits from Roman Egypt, the extraordinary likenesses painted on wood and inserted into the linen wrappings of the corpses, conveying a sense of the deceased’s status in society.

7 Visit the museum store

“Exit via the gift shop” takes on new meaning at this superior museum store, featuring Getty-inspired gifts, from T-shirts and scarves adorned with the Hercules mosaic to moonstone earrings inspired by the Mummy Portrait of Isadora. This is no souvenir shop junk – even basic items such as coasters and mugs are adorned with Roman frescoes. There’s also a comprehensive collection of art history books, with a delightful range of history-inspired children’s books with titles such as Live Like a Roman and Tales of Brave and Brilliant Girls from Greek Myths.