The Getty Villa project included a major renovation of an existing museum while constructing nine new structures, including a 250-seat auditorium and an outdoor amphitheater. The villa, perched above the Pacific Coast Highway near Malibu, was originally constructed in 1972 by the oil tycoon J. Paul Getty in homage to ancient Rome to house his burgeoning art collection.

The renovation required extensive structural and architectural modifications, including the installation of skylights and windows to flood the museum with natural light, as well as new finishes of terrazzo, Venetian plaster, and bronze. In addition to the new structures, which included the Auditorium, Entry Court, Café, Bookstore, conservation laboratories, and offices, the expansion included a new central plant with modernized MEP systems, parking structures, new site infrastructure, and renovated and upgraded peristyle gardens.

The renovation and expansion established the site as an internationally renowned center for antiquities and the study of their conservation, attracting about half a million visitors every year.