J. Paul Getty: The Real Story Behind The Man With All The Money In The World

Getty’s Most Profound Contribution To Society

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The majority of Getty’s estate, which included $660 million worth of stock in Getty Oil, was left to the J. Paul Getty Trust, which he established in 1953. The trust is largely in control of Getty’s art collection and the museum, which expanded in 1997 upon the opening of a larger, second facility, the Getty Center, that cost $1.3 billion. Getty once said, “In learning about ancient Greek and Roman art, one cannot help but also learn about the civilizations and the people who produced the art. This will unquestionably serve to broaden the individual’s horizons and, by increasing his knowledge of past civilizations, greatly aid him in knowing and understanding his own.”