Rich in both history and splendor, The Huntington Estate and Gardens is a tourist attraction centered on the lives and legacy of the rather ancient and wealthy Huntington family. The Huntington Estate is full of grandeur and is made to be a center of art and culture. Each area of the estate is made for that purpose.
The “Huntington Art Gallery”, originally used as a home for the Huntington Family, was converted into an art gallery and features many influential European art pieces from the 15th to the 18th century.
A grounds worker assigned near the Huntington House said, “One thing about the Huntington family is that they loved their art. They were more than collectors in the sense that they lived and breathed what they owned. That’s the thing that really inspired the project.”Some art pieces were bought by Henry E. Huntington or Arabella Duval Huntington, though most came later.
Along with the Huntington Art Gallery, the estate also features a grand Library. The Huntington Library is a place of education and functions like a museum. Most books in the library are tucked away behind glass and on their shelves. However, that doesn’t stop the exhibits from being any less interesting. Behind protective casings lie important artifacts of culture and science. According to the Official Huntington Website, ” Works on medicine include medieval medical and astronomical miscellanies and hundreds of books printed before 1501… The Huntington is also home to the Los Angeles County Medical Association collection.”
While there is plenty of content for the bibliophiles and those interested in art within the major buildings, there is a grand splendor that goes unmatched in the Gardens that take up most of the estate. The Huntington Gardens are a multifaceted, complex system of plants and ecology, divided into different areas of the park. These plants are divided by how well they work with one another as well as by their nation of origin. Each area is designed to be modeled off of a National area and includes architecture and landscaping techniques from that area as well to better model the original Nation. “The park has many hidden gems. One of my favorites is the Chinese gardens. The pond and its surroundings just make it so easy to feel relaxed there.” A response from a tour guide near Huntington’s entrance.
As well as the places within Huntington, the thing that really makes it special is its events and projects. The Huntington practically has a new project featured every week for the public to view. Though most are exclusive and need a separate ticket for entry, there is a rare occasion when an event can be viewed during regular hours. “It’s expensive, but a good amount of them [events] are worth going to. We’ve been coming here for years and I know we have been to quite a few.” A guest who wishes to remain anonymous.
So what really does make up a tourist attraction? Is it the mood it gives? Is it the vibes? Or is it the story the place holds? Or is it the effort the place makes to entertain its guests? What makes up a tourist attraction really is all of them. All of these things combined make Huntington a truly special place.
