Colin Catlin

Review of Getty Villa/ The Theatre@ Bost...

What makes this museum stand out, even from many m...

What makes this museum stand out, even from many museums in Rome itself, is the quality of the restorations and mix of media shown, far more than just marble. One room of glass artifacts felt like it came straight out of a contemporary art museum, and the gardens in particular bring the past to life.
That said, there isn't much of a story being told. The collection feels too much like what it is, the random collection of a rich person. Here, you can look at the past, but you cannot feel it. We should campaign to have tour guides in togas...
One tour guide in particular was disappointing, whose knowledge of Roman history seemed built more on movies than historical fact. There did appear to be more knowledgeably guides, but they were monopolized by student groups. Since most guests seem to be there more for selfies than history, perhaps it doesn't really matter. Not that selfies are bad, it is really a beautiful place for a photo.