GARDEN GROVE, Calif. -- There really is no bad vantage point in the Sistine Chapel. Any way you look, you'll see a masterpiece.

And for Whittier residents Patrick and Sandra Parsons, a hop skip and a jump down Interstate 5 to Garden Grove was a little closer than, well Rome.

“I said, 'You know what? It’s practically in our backyard. It’s something we should go see,'” said Patrick.

These legendary frescoes are closer than ever. All 34 make up the current exhibit at Christ Cathedral. The near life-size reproduction of Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel ceiling painting took an entire week to install, and for good reason; the exhibit is literally larger than life.

“Looking at this and looking at what it would look like in the chapel itself makes a huge impact for what you’re seeing on the walls. And I’m sure that the distance from the floor to the ceiling in the Sistine Chapel, you’re not going to get this kind of view of what it is, why it really is,” said Patrick.

Walking under these massive frescoes, it’s hard to imagine how Michelangelo did it, upside down, and with so much detail. But these audible guides give attendees an in-depth interpretation behind the work's inspiration.

The exhibit coincides with an exciting year for Christ Cathedral itself. It's has been renovating its campus since 2012 and in 2019 will finally be able to open its doors on a limited basis.

“Over the years we’ve renovated so much of the exterior. Over the past year, we’ve really been working hard at the renovation of the cathedral itself. And on July 17, 2019 our cathedral will be dedicated and the doors to Christ Cathedral will be open,” said Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange Marketing Director Hank Evers.

And while it’s over 6,000 miles from Los Angeles to Rome, this short trip to the exhibit could very well inspire a trip to see the real thing.

“Now I really want to go see the real one to bring the two together,” said Sandra.