Visit this breathtaking bluff-top estate filled with Greek, Roman, and Etruscan art

Imagine building a house modeled after a 1st Century Roman country estate, wrapping it with gardens on an oceanfront bluff in Malibu, filling the home with priceless antiquities—and then turning the whole place into a free. That kind of unfathomable philanthropy (and wealth) is the legacy of oil tycoon J. Paul Getty, and the exquisite result is the gorgeous The Getty Villa, Malibu . Walk through elegant gardens and courtyards with splashing fountains then enter the villa’s more than two dozen galleries to see bronzes, jewelry, and other extraordinary Greek, Roman, and Etruscan artifacts dating from 6500 B.C. to A.D. 400. Excellent interactive exhibits illustrate key moments in the history of the ancient Mediterranean.

While the museum is free, advance reservations are required and can be arranged in advance by phone or via the villa website . And keep in mind: the villa entrance is only accessible from the northbound right-hand lane of the Pacific Coast Highway.

Inside tip for parents: If you’re not sure your little ones will hold up, think again. The villa’s education staff has created a creative, hands-on area called Family Forum, with fun crafts and art projects.