I didn't know that this museum is so popular and that you must purchase your tickets in advance. Luckily, I was able to purchase tickets before our trip to Rome, but they had only a limited number of tickets available for the time that we were going to be there. So if you are planning on going to Galleria Borghese, make sure to purchase your tickets in advance. We visited the Borghese in the afternoon during the week, and I think that was a great idea because it was pretty empty, and we had yet another chance to see everything with almost no one around. I'm not sure if it's always like that or if we got lucky. Either way, I was able to take my time to look at all the beautiful art pieces. Everything was so beautiful. I recommend going to this museum if you have the time; it's definitely worth it. read more

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The Galleria Borghese or Borghese Gallery is an art gallery in Rome, Italy, housed in the former Villa Borghese Pinciana. At the outset, the gallery building was integrated with its gardens, but nowadays the Villa Borghese gardens are considered a separate tourist attraction. Such beautiful art and sculptures. What a breathtaking selection. Another must see while visiting Rome. TIP- Need to buy tickets for the gallery in advance, or by a 3rd party company. They sell out fast. read more

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Maybe one of the best museum experiences I've had. I'm a Caravaggio fan and there are 5 of his pieces and the statues are spectacular. The layout is well designed and entrance timed with a fee. The grounds are lovely, there's a gift shop, snack shop and plenty of places to rest. The employees are a bit grouchy. read more

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This is one of the "must see" museums in Rome, and we knew we needed advance tickets, and were watching the website all spring and summer for sales to start for September....but...as soon as they became available for the dates of our September trip, they were gone....we had to buy them from a third party company and then meet the representative before our entry time to pick up,our tickets. It seems this is the way it works during peak season....the big companies are just faster than individuals in scooping up the tickets...so...prepare to pay the extra cost to a tour company even if you're not doing a tour... Tickets have an entry time and you're allowed to stay for 90 minutes. They use color coded stickers to determine when visitors entered. The second floor was closed during our visit but the most famous works were on the first floor and we ended up going through all the rooms twice during our 90 minute visit which ended up being really nice as we noticed more on our second "lap". Seriously, the sculptures and paintings here are amazing; these are the ones we've all seen in art textbooks so that alone is an unforgettable experience. I'm still amazed at how movement can be conveyed in stone. This is also a museum where it is important to look up at the ceiling and down at the floor; art is everywhere! Bags, other than very small fanny packs need to be checked along with any other items including water bottles and umbrellas. The entry point to the galleries isn't marked so if you don't see it ask someone so you don't do what we did and accidentally wait in the line for last minute tickets. The entrance is back towards the toilets and to the right. read more

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Wonderful museum in Rome. Check their calendar for tickets. I think they only release them 10 days in advance. I was able to buy ours online. It seems that you have to buy advance tickets for everything in Rome! They were doing some renovations when we went so some things were covered up and we couldn't find the entrance. We had to enter through what seemed like a temporary entrance. We had to leave all bags(including my purse) at coat check. The place is decorated floor to ceiling, marble floors and painted ceilings. But the most beautiful sculpture ever we saw Apollo & Daphne by Bernini. Spectacular! read more

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An honest review. Borghese were a wealthy family centuries ago. In the 1600s they decided to build this mansion simply to house art. The current museum used to allow more time for guests, but they decided making $ is more important so now they let in twice as many people to profit from more sales but also imposed a 2 hour limit. After that time they kick you out (they give everyone different colored stickers to keep track of time). Also they used to have many Caravaggio's, but now only have 3. The rest they gave to their sister museum barberini because less people visit so they thought it would attract more folks there. It definitely attracted more visitors to the other museum except the caravaggio's arent even part of the other museum, its a separate special exhibit that requires a separate ticket thats really hard to get. So basically they're making even more $$ just by transferring the paintings that were already supposed to be on view at borghese. Here's a tip - there are 6 caravaggio paintings in rome you can view for FREE. 2 at santa maria church del popolo. 3 at san luigi dei francisi church in piazza navona, and 1 at st augustine church. read more

Hands down my most favorite art museum ever! This is my second time visiting Italy and I made sure to add Museo e Galleria Borghese to our itinerary. We opted for a golf cart tour around the gardens, which also included a "skip-the-line" entry to the gallery. There is an additional fee of €5 to get an audio guide that walks you through some of the most amazing pieces throughout the museum. I highly recommend this! We had a certain time slot to enter the museum. We arrived a little early, so we went inside the cafe that's adjacent to the gallery and ordered some coffee and pastries to snack on. They also have a full menu of other foods and drinks to order from. Large bags aren't allowed inside the gallery, so we had to check them in by the entrance. I don't believe there was a fee to have them hold and secure our items. The restrooms are well-kept and clean. The gallery itself is nothing short of amazing. Everything is decorated from the floors to the ceilings. Lots and lots of history is learned here in this museum. Every room I stepped in, I was in awe. So much to look at and so many pieces to admire. When you reach the end, you will be greeted by a museum store to buy some souvenirs and other items. I would allocate about 2 hours of your time to fully immerse yourself in this museum and an additional 1-2 hours to roam around the gardens. read more

Museo e Galleria Borghese - Admiring All of the Art Pieces - Museums Near Me - Roma, AG

This palace is a must when visiting Rome. They have the largest collection of Caravaggio paintings in the world and some of Bernini's most notable sculptures. The collection is so large and the rooms so ornate that I felt as if I was in one of the museums at the Vatican. How did someone like Scipione Borghese a cardinal in the Catholic Church acquire such wealth and power to afford to live in a palace such as this? Well, it helps if your uncle is the Pope and he assigns you control of the church's finances. The scandal and corruption that occurred during their control of the church is much more exciting than I can explain to you in a review. I encourage anyone one interested in this period of corruption at the Vatican to research further into the Borghese family. Meanwhile, those interested can enjoy the very large art collection at this one time home. read more

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I made reservations here 3 -4 months in advance. Then a bit over 2 months out, the museum contacted me and stated that the date of my ticket was no longer available due to a closure for installation of a new exhibit. I was surprised, but I guess plans changes sometimes. They worked with me to find another date during our trip that would work out. Luckily, we did manage to find another time slot on our final day in Rome. They changed the tickets, but noted that they would need to email me the final tickets the day before our visit. I was a bit apprehensive about this plan, but they came through. We arrived for our 3 p.m. time about 20 minutes early. We presented our ticket and had to surrender our backpack at the front desk. We were then allowed to proceed into the museum. Visit times are limited to 2 hours, so it was nice that we got in about 10 minutes early. We later heard announcements requesting that the 1 p.m. visitors begin leaving the museum. This is another instance where it might be worth getting the audio tour to get more information on some of the works. There were also many guided tours in progress during our visit. The museum staff initially directs you up to the 2nd floor initially (which is largely a gallery of paintings). It was okay - there were some interesting works there. I spent about 30 minutes touring this floor. You then descend to the primary level where there is a mix of paintings and statues. Here is where more of the headline artwork is - major statuary by Bernini, especially. There were many rooms and many had a centerpiece statue with multiple paintings on each wall as well. We spent a majority of our time on this level. The walls themselves and ceiling are also painted. It was over-the-top. We wrapped up around 4:30 p.m. If it had been earlier in the trip, we might have used our full 2 hours here, but we were all a bit worn down after 8 days of walking around cities and museums. This was a highly worthwhile stop in Rome. read more

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The Borghese has been on my Rome "to do" list for decades, and we finally got to spend a Saturday afternoon here. Gardens were not in their glory because of the February weather, but the grounds were still very nice. Galleria Borghese houses a substantial part of the Borghese Collection. Amassing the collection, which takes up multiple floors of the former Villa Borghese Pinciana, began in the 17th century. Experiencing the Villa itself, and the paintings, sculpture and antiquities therein, was awesome -- Bernini, Caravaggio, Titian, Raphael, Rubens, and others, all under one roof. Galleria Borghese is second IMHO in Rome only to the Vatican Museum. Seriously, stepping into to first gallery literally took my breathe away. We obtained our timed admission tickets in advance and opted for an audio walking tour on our smart phones. The audio tour could have been better organized ... and directions to galleries made clearer. read more

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This exhibit and grounds are a wonderful place to reflect and learn about some artists and their passion for creating it. We hired a city wonders guide to share the knowledge that just viewing could not. Fredericka presented expanded knowledge on these subjects, people and objects. Five stars or more for a fantastic hour and a half exposure! Recommend this place and guide highly. read more

The tour provided by the museum was the best tour I've had in Rome. The docent was super knowledgeable and basically gave me a crash course in art history. She highlighted specific pieces in each of the rooms and went in a chronological order for the tour, which lasted for an hour. The second hour was comprised of free time to explore. We purchased the tickets online directly through the museum and it came with a ticket. You should arrive at least 10 minute early and arrive at the bottom level, where the tour waiting area is located as well as the restrooms. You pick up the audio guides from there as well (included with the tour). The Bernini sculptures are out of this world, including the Prosepine and Apollo pieces. There were some really cool paintings as well. You're limited to 2 hours per visit and the museum will announce when it's your time to leave. I would recommend having advanced reservations because even though walk ins are available, all of the slots are likely to be taken. read more

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Amazing! I love museums, and the Borghese shouldn't be missed. Seriously, buy your tickets and go!! This museum is better than expected, and filled with some of the best art in the world. The statues, the paintings, the sculptures, the everything... We opted for a self guided tour, however, they do you have various tour groups available. For us, having the ability to roam at our leisure, and enjoy each and every beautiful work of art was truly a gift. Each masterpiece is breathtaking. It's truly hard to fathom that one person spent days, months, years, carving, sculpting, creating, painting, etc. these one of a kind pieces. If youre not a museum goer, this will change your mind. The grounds are lovely, and you are permitted to walk and look around. It's truly gorgeous. Go. Inhale the art. Take in each piece. You won't be disappointed! read more

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Everything about this museum was beautiful, the building, the walls and ceilings, the park and grounds, and of course, the art. Our ticket was arranged through our travel agent and included a guide. She helped us understand the context and history of the art. If you have an opportunity for a guide in an art museum, I highly recommend it. The Bernini sculptures were outstanding. The thing our guide pointed out to us that I wouldn't have known on my own was the story the sculpture tells as you walk from one side to another. My fav was the Rape of Persephone. It was amazing how movement of the cloth and the hair, as well as the grip on the women's leg could be carved out of stone. Just outstanding. So many beautiful pieces of art to appreciate here. It's two floors and you are limited to two hours by colored stickers applied to your shirt when you enter. If you have time, walk over to the bike rental area and rent a bike to cruise the grounds. There are some spectacular views of the city looking out to Vittorio, Pantheon and other landmarks. read more

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This is an essential gallery for art, history, sculpture, and Renaissance buffs! Inside you'll find an intimidating collection of sculptures by Bernini including two of his most famous. You'll also find a room filled with works of Carvaggio that provide a wonderful second hook to the museum. There are two floors of the museum, and expect to spend a couple of hours inside. Tickets sell out very easily so either reserve very early, but at a higher price from a reseller, or wait in line for last minute tickets. Those last minute tickets are brutal because they only allow 13 people in every hour. read more

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Pro tip as of July 2021: *make sure to reserve your tickets 2 weeks ahead of time* due to covid capacity restrictions. The experience we had was not very tourist friendly: - park was poorly maintained and some parts had random garbage/overgrown weeds/bums sleeping. - We took the metro and there were no signs from the station. You literally see random tourists getting lost in the same spot every couple of minutes, including Italian tourists getting lost and asking me a foreigner for directions to their own museum... - tickets were sold out 2+ weeks ahead. There was a Damien Hirst exhibit I really wanted to see and ticket box guy suggested I just see the installations outside since they were sold out. When I got there the lady checking tickets literally said I couldn't stand OUTSIDE the entrance and peek at the installations OUTSIDE the building. *rolls eyes* like you're really going to charge me for LOOKING IN THAT DIRECTION? I would gladly pay too except it's sold out for the next two weeks? Bad experience overall for a national treasure level of museum. Imagine if the Met sat in a dilapidated park with weeds and garbage all over and you get there to find it's sold out for the next two weeks. Mind boggling. read more

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Many artwork has been moved to other museums. Things not kid-friendly and that's okay because most art galleries aren't. Worth going to for the famous pieces and sculptures to see but shouldn't be in the top 5 of Rome. read more

The Galleria, one of the most beautiful palaces in Rome, is worth visiting just to see the splendor of the rooms. Art packs the space, including works by Bernini and Caravaggio, Peter Paul Rubens, and Federico Barocci, as well as Titian's Sacred and Profane Love, and Raphael's Entombment of Christ. Cardinal Scipione Borghese began the collection in the 1600s. I would give this Museum 10 stars if possible. Be sure to buy tickets in advance! Also, check your GPS, as it is slightly tricky to get to. read more

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Absolutely breathtaking, so much so that I visited the museum twice. I saw all but two of Bernini's works in Rome, but these are not just masterpieces; they are divine. The museum is an eclectic treasure, nestled within a lush park. The Rubens works, particularly the anatomical pieces, are also insatiable. If I may make a recommendation, make sure to arrive at the time you set for your entrance, as this differs from other museums where you can walk in regardless of the time. This was by far the highlight of my trip to Rome. I wish I had never left. read more

Museo e Galleria Borghese - Museums Near Me - Roma, AG

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I pre-ordered my tickets from City Wonders for Skip the Line. Totally worth it as you don't have to stand in line then wait for your time. We met the guide outside and I picked up my tickets. I chose to be my own guide as I'm an art major who loves to be the guide for my husband. There were many guides available that spoke many different languages if that's what you choose. First of all, before or after the museum, you HAVE TO walk the grounds! Beautiful property and amazing photo opportunities! Now for the museum, it's a small museum but definitely worth the visit! The statues throughout this beautiful mansion are once in a lifetime opportunities to see things you've read about or seen in movies/tv. Each room is beautifully adorned with rococo style walls with mosaics on the floor and amazing murals everywhere! You'll also see beautiful paintings that you've seen in art books or religious books. Seeing them in person is even better! You have to give yourself about two hours to do this place justice. If you're coming with a backpack or purse, you'll have to check in your bags. You can keep your phone or camera which is awesome! Some museums don't allow any cameras. There is a restaurant on the bottom floor inside the museum, next to the gift store. If you're coming to Rome or are already here, you HAVE TO COME HERE! read more

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The Museo e Galleria Borghese (Borghese Gallery and Museum) definitely has some beautiful art on display in the former party home (Villa Borghese Pinciana) of Roman Catholic Cardinal Scipione Borghese in a huge garden/park at what use to be the edge of Rome. Three things keep the museum and gallery from being 5-stars: 1 - The rooms were very warm when we visited as the portable air conditioners struggled against the afternoon crowds filling each room 2 - A no photo policy seems completely out of date with modern social media expectations or visitor desires to capture, share, and remember their visit 3 - At 22€ per person, this one of the more expensive museums we visited in Rome ... and each visit is limited to 2 hours with set entrance times ... so be sure to get your ticket and time reserved in advance. Skip-the-line tickets are 30€. Otherwise, I still recommend the gallery for any fans of early 17th-century Italian art because Scipione Borghese was the patron of both Caravaggio and Bernini whose works are prominent in the gallery. Other famous artists with pieces in the collection include Raphael, Titian, Rubens, and Canova. Tips: * Closed Mondays * Closed Dec 25 & Jan 1 * 2-hour time slots: 9:00, 11:00, 1:00, 3:00, & 5:00 * Get the audio guide (6€/each) * Before/after explore the large park * Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderna is nearby * Bags must be checked * A small cafe offers snacks/drinks read more

Museo e Galleria Borghese - Il Museo Galleria Borghese - Museums Near Me - Roma, AG

Yes! Definitely worth it! It's 20 Euros for admission, but ticket purchase is NO JOKE. You should book in advance if you can. We did not, but heard from a couple the night before that they went that morning and were able to get tickets that day. We got in line at 8:45 AM and when we got to the front, there were signs saying that they were sold out for the day (along with posters saying that you should ask about same-day ticket ????). The woman who I went to was INCREDIBLY RUDE and when I started asking about tickets, she stared at me coldly and said "How about a good morning first"? Which to be fair, she wasn't wrong, but she made me feel so little and embarrassed about being rude, even though I had started my conversation very politely. I mean, she hadn't even been working for ten minutes yet and was already a bitch. Wow! Anyway, I stepped away and started looking online, and even though they showed as sold out, the website showed that there were tickets for 9 AM (i.e. right then). ??? I tried purchasing several times but the website kept timing out or something. So I got in line and specifically spoke to the OTHER lady, who right away started going to the party line, saying there were no tickets, but I showed her that the website showed tickets. She looked baffled, but told me to come back at 9:30. Success!! We got tickets!! But really, it's a gamble. The art in here is beautiful. Take a look at the ceilings. All of them. My friend and I marveled at how the pieces were 3D - a trompe l'oeil - as we kept going back and forth whether the piece was painted over a protruding area or not. Really incredible. The art has been very well-restored and there are plastic placards in each room that tell you about the art (but hard to read) though some were better written than others. The detail on the marble statues are mind blowing. One of my favorite pieces was the Daphne and Apollo statue - she's turning into a tree and the fine detail in the roots/branches are exquisite. Truly breathtaking. There were modern pieces in the gallery too which were actually more beautiful to my eye. Worth the visit, but the ticket experience can be an ordeal. read more

The Borghese is GORGEOUS! We were unaware but you likely need to buy tickets in advance...we luckily showed up and were able to get it but the woman at the ticket counter said that is not common. Everywhere you look, there is art. The floor, the ceiling, columns, etc. Each room has different and gorgeous pieces. I wish we would have had a tour explaining them all but that was quite pricey. We had a great time exploring on our own. They have a cute gift shop by the bag check - I was surprised they did not have more though. Overall, this was one of the best things I saw in Italy. The negatives - 1) You have to check your bag/purse...even if its tiny...must check it. Checking is free but still. 2) It is VERY warm in there...seems like the A/c does not work or at least does not go throughout the whole space well. 3) Bathrooms consisted of one stall per gender and mine had no soap or paper towels. 4) Without a tour guide, you are not sure what you are looking at and the rooms get confusing - hard to make sure you saw everything. read more

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Arguably the most beautiful collection in Rome and that is saying something. There are guided and self guided tours, our guide Francesca was fantastic and did a wonderful job explaining the history and meaning of each piece. Seeing the Bernini sculptures are worth the price of entry alone. read more

Warning : you must, MUST, buy tickets in advance of your trip. They limit the number of people so that it's not too crowded, but this means you have to buy in advance. This is not a museum you can walk up and score tickets to enter. You have to go downstairs to collect your pre-purchase tickets and then enter upstairs. There are several floors of art, and the grounds are beautiful too. You do not want to miss out because this is the most glorious museum in all of Rome. The Borghese mansion has the best collection of art, including Bernini statutes. The statutes look like they are frozen in movement, and are so beautiful. I recommend buying the audio tour so that you get to hear the background of each piece. There are surprising details that you wouldn't know otherwise. read more

This quaint little museum was on my list of to-do while in Rome. I scored free tickets with a fee so instead of paying 15 euro, we paid 4 euro each. Not bad! You have to reserve your tickets in advance and they do them in 2 hour blocks so as to not overwhelm visitors. It used to be a home and now is an art gallery. You can't really take photos inside but the art is quite nice. Each room has a theme and you can literally spend hours roaming the halls. The museum is mostly known for it's Bernini sculptures which decorate the rooms and hallways. They also have a few works by Canova, Raphael, and Rubens. The museum is located outside of city center Rome but is accessible by bus. You can take the metro to the main Termini station and grab a bus from there. It's worth a visit if you ever go to Rome. read more

Museo e Galleria Borghese - Museums Near Me - Roma, AG

It goes without saying that the galleria Borghese houses an absolutely amazing collection of art and sculptures. Everywhere you look there's something to see, it's stunning. If you are in Rome, the Galleria Borghese is a must. The grounds the museum is on is lovely to walk through too. Even if you can't get tickets to go inside, you have to at least check out the grounds. While wandering around we found a little pond that rented out row boats. It was such an unexpected surprise and a fun way to pass the time while we waited for reservation into the museum. The most important advice I can give is to make sure you buy your tickets in advance on the Borghese website. I'm not sure if you're able to get in without doing so. read more

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Located in the Borghese Park you must have reservations to visit this gallery. The visit is limited to smaller groups of 2 hours per group. I made on line purchase of tickets which was well worth the additional cost. Picture taking isn't allowed inside but the artwork the Borghese family collected is incredible. Actually one family member was a Pope! Works of arts include paintings and sculptures from Bernini, Canova, Rapheal, Perugino, and Peter Paul Rubens. Bernini sculptures are mind blowing and the detail of the human body is a must see. read more

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I've got tips | Rooms of beautiful artwork | Gorgeous location (I went for free!!) TIPS: -go in the morning, before 11am -go on Sundays because it is FREE -if you want a caffeinated drink from their gift shop bar, get the coffee shot with ice cream in it! Yep, I went in free because I did the research on this place and found out that if you go on Sundays, it's free admission. They make you check in your bags and backpacks before going through the museums, but they allow you to take photos. There was hardly anyone in this place in the morning! Around lunch time is when it started to get super crowded (especially at the gift shop and the outer park grounds). There's about 3 levels of artwork. I loved Bernini's work. The sculptures are magnificent and the ceiling paintings are breathtaking. I've seen so many Madonna paintings here. Lots of work from the 1500's. Getting to this museum, you have to walk through the Borghese park grounds. SO BEAUTIFUL. Dog-friendly as well. Lots of families, pets, and trees! Joggers in the morning. This is a beautiful place and I couldn't help but take a lot of photos of this area. read more

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This museum is difficult to get tickets to as they limit the amount of people (in 2-hour increments) that are allowed to go into the museum at any given time. We had to wait about 3 days for a slot at admission. This was in January and am told that in peak tourist season in the summer, reservations are booked weeks in advance. Museum Borghese is an excellent museum with many fine pieces of art and sculpture. Photography is strictly prohibited and enforced heavily by the onsite attendants. A two-hour limit is enforced and you need to be there about 15-20 minutes prior to your time slot to pick up your tickets. We made it through seeing all of the museum in about an hour and 45 minutes. We did not spend a lot of time at each piece. Watch the clock carefully. We thought most of the preferred pieces were on the lower level - 0 Floor. We would say first floor in the U.S. We had tix from 9:00 am to 11:00 am and arrived around 8:30 to pick up our pre-paid tickets. Also, larger bags / backpacks and purses must be checked in and are not allowed in the museum. You will be given a bag check tag for retrieval of your items when you leave. We recommend this museum. read more

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Fortunate to secure a walk-in ticket, and disobedient of the $26 gallery's photography rules, Borghese Gallery houses a truly magnificent collection ranging from Caravaggio to the workshop of Valadier. read more

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Absolutely beautiful! Took the hop on hop off bus and it stopped right at it. Did have enough time to see it all I will definitely be back next time in I'm in Rome. read more

10/26/2013 Hooray, this is the last review I have to write for the recent Italy trip! My husband and I used our Roma Pass to visit the Borghese Galleria. We walked through the park (almost from end to end) to finally reach this museum. Fantastic Bernini sculptures lined the various exhibit rooms inside. So intricate, delicate, and novel. We were especially impressed by 2 art pieces - (1) sculpture of Apollo and Daphne and (2) sculpture of a lady resting on a mattress. The sculptures were miraculously "life-like" and shockingly well-preserved. We were amazed. There are gardens in the back of the museum that you can walk through with a fountain, etc. A cafe is available inside if you want to grab a bite to eat (which we did) and tables/chairs available to rest/eat/drink. Food is only mediocre, but it's one of the few places inside the park that actually serves food. read more

Museo e Galleria Borghese - Apollo & Daphne - Museums Near Me - Roma, AG

I've been trying wanting to visit this gallery for many years. But it was very troublesome that one has to make reservation weeks ahead for a summer day to visit. So I've put it off all these years. This past August, I finally made up my mind to make a reservation online. However, it was tedious and unsuccessful after tried many time within 2-3 weeks before I left for Europe for a 4-week trip. It very frustrating to say the least! Finally, I decided to make an international call from Strasbourg, France. After a long hold for waiting, I was able to get connected and the process was rather smoothly. Face the credit card number, and I was in! The day came, I didn't dare to take it lightly and arrived before 9:30 am for the 11 am appointment. Eventually, our guided tour group was called. No wonder! It was remarkable, exciting and exuberant to say the least to describe the whole experience! I guess all the troubles, time and cost were all worthy it!!! Highly recommended! The museum tour guide was extremely knowledgeable and passionate! read more

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We booked ahead (thank goodness! We saw people turned away.) We arrived early- again, thank goodness. There's a process here. So here are some notes on the process- first, go past the entrance, the tickets are sold down stairs. You'll see a large metal door- gift store first, then purse check, then tickets- at the far end. You'll need to print out all your papers- they didn't want my ID, but I'd bring one just in case. After you get your tickets, if you're just visiting without a guide- real or audio- go in when it's your time. If you have an audio guide booked, or a real guide- go immediately after getting your tickets to pick up your guide. We didn't need to leave an ID because we booked a live guide- they collect the radios at the end of the tour. Confused? There are nice museum volunteers to help you out near the entrance. You will wait in the holding area until your tour. Our tickets said 11am- but our tour started at 11:10. There is also a cafe down where you are waiting (reasonable prices) and a gift shop. If you bring a large purse, you must check it. I had a small wallet purse and when I tried to check it, they just told me to put it under my coat. They did not make us check jackets. They have a lift if you have a disability. It's very small- one person at a time, probably. Let them know you need it. There are only two floors- our guided tour took about 1 1/2 hour- leaving us an extra 1/2 hour. We didn't really need any more time. It's a relatively small museum. I like the English tour- I learned a lot. My husband did not like it- he was there to take pictures and he didn't like being in a big group. He had to get ahead of the group and do photos. So, depending on your tastes, you can opt for a guided tour, your own audio or nothing. Bernini is pretty amazing to see in person. His great works really are great- and all the other works here are also amazing. It's a gorgeous collection in beautiful grounds. We even took the little bus disguised as a train (3 euros for each person- no freebies for you, guest of Rome!) My husband thought it was a rip off- I liked it and took a video. Kids would love it, I think. Maybe I'm just a kid at heart. There's a zoological garden here, lots of dog parks, statues, gardens, a water clock, great lookout points- even a band at one of the look out points doing covers of great classic rock (I particularly liked their cover of "Shine on You Crazy Diamond". It's not cheap to go here- I think it ended up being 61 euros for us to book ahead- what with extra fees for online booking and such- but it was a real treat and even Mr. Grumpy (my husband) had a good time here- although he's still complaining about the little bus. I LIKED getting a ride across the park to be nearer our hotel so I didn't have to walk so far. read more

I had no expectations before entering and had made my reservation over the phone knowing that this museum is often booked out weeks in advance. After providing my details over the phone, I arrived before the museum opening the day of to get my tickets at the front desk. Everyone was given a headset and we sat in the lobby until 9:25 even though our tour was the begin at 9:15. The official tour guide was amazing and super knowledgeable and did a great job at providing a captivating, concise, informative tour. She gave a great background and highlighted the significance in some key pieces. Because of her tour, I found myself appreciating Bernini's sculpture even more. I have never seen such lifelike sculpture in my life with such great detail. The tension of the movement was captured and the marble was exquisite. I would come here just to see Bernini's pieces all over again. The exhibit was very good overall and I wasn't sure how they checked the two hour limit because I found myself staying a little afterwards cause when the official tour ended we were given time to roam around ourselves. I highly recommend this experience and enjoyed it oven more than the Vatican experience because it was not overrun with people and there was actually space to appreciate the pieces in peace. Small cafe in museum. Admission is ~22 euros if placed in advance over phone. Bags must be checked at the free coat check. Bathrooms inside the spiral staircase. Museum is only two manageable floors and doable in two hours. Overall a beautiful villa and great to see some of caravaggios earlier work. Interesting to hear the stories on the tour how the cardinal pulled strings to get the pieces he wanted. The park outside the museum is also a nice place to take a brief walk. read more

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We are 8 travelers, 4 adults and 4 teenagers. This tour was very educational for us and our teens. Our tour company was City Wonders. Our guide Andy, was extremely knowledgeable about the gallery, sculptures and other works of art that he show us. You must remember that the Gallery only allots 2 hours per tour. So it is no possible to see all of the Gallery. I felt that Andy did an excellent job of showing us the most important works. After we toured the Gallery we then toured the Gardens. This tour is not to be missed! https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g187791-d522812-r388218901-Galleria_Borghese-Rome_Lazio.html# read more

Museo e Galleria Borghese - Museums Near Me - Roma, AG

HISTORY Scipione Borghese was the nephew of Pope Paul V (born Camillo Borghese). Not only was he made a cardinal, he also became the pope's personal secretary and was given the right to conduct personal and papal business under the Borghese name. The cardinal amassed a lot of wealth and influence over his lifetime and he used his funds to assemble and house one of the biggest personal art collections in Europe: the Villa Borghese. He was one of the biggest patrons of the sculptor Bernini and painter Caravaggio - hence the reason why the Borghese houses an extensive collection of their work. He had such a voracious appetite for artwork and his influence so vast that what he couldn't acquire through purchasing he resorted to less than...respectable measures for acquisition (such as jailing Domenichino until he gave the cardinal "Diana and her Nymphs", or forcibly removing Raphael's "The Deposition" from its home in Perugia). LOGISTICS If you've visited museums in Europe visiting the Borghese is a bit different from other museums, in particular to the queuing system. It's the only gallery AFAIK that limits people to a two-hour time block per visit - 360 people *total* per time block over a span of five time blocks per day. Because of this buying tickets in advance is REQUIRED. As a result of this system visiting the gallery is much more peaceful and much less hassle than the Vatican or Uffizi. Because of the advance purchase requirement it's best to buy tickets online via the official site (https://www.tosc.it/). Tickets go on sale in 3 month increments starting with the last month of the previous quarter (eg. July-Aug-Sep tickets go on sale the first week of June). Because of my schedule getting tickets here was one of the last things I did for my trip. When I had questions about tickets the staff weren't necessarily helpful to me for obtaining tickets either through e-mail or by phone. They are also particularly strict about bags and water bottles. The guide looked at my crossbody (which had not been an issue in all other museums throughout Italy, and I went to quite a few) and said my bag barely passed what is considered "small". They also didn't allow water bottles onsite. Every other museum didn't mind having water bottles as long as it was sealed and stored somewhere tightly. EXPERIENCE The Borghese is one of the only galleries I visited to offer in-house docent tours in English. English guided tours are available at 9:10 and 11:10 and take up the entire time slot you are allotted. I signed up for the 9:10 guide via official website. Tour was €21.50 including admission. It is advised to get there 15-20 minutes prior to your assigned time so you can check bags if you have to as well as collect your headsets. Considering I didn't have a formal art history class and was unfamiliar with Bernini or Caravaggio until my visit, my tour guide made all the difference in making not only my experience enjoyable, she connected the dots with each of the most important pieces and their historical significance so I can learn to appreciate the artwork for myself. She is a huge reason why the Borghese is my favorite museum in Rome despite my gripes with the ticket reservation system - hence the 5 stars. Because it was originally a private residence, the organization of the art made the museum very easy to navigate. Here's the breakdown of the major art pieces: 1st Floor - The three Bernini sculptures (Apollo and Daphne, Rape of Prosperina and David) and the two busts of Cardinal Borghese. I prefer the David housed here rather than the more famous sculpture done by Michelangelo because it's a much more advanced sculpture. Done in the Baroque style, it forces you to look at it from all perspectives as opposed to the front. - The six paintings of Caravaggio in the Caravaggio room. - Canova's "Pauline Bonaparte". 2nd Floor - "The Deposition" and "Lady with a Unicorn" by Raphael. They sell replicas of the lady's necklace inside their gift shop. - "Diana and her Nymphs" by Domenichino. - "Sacred and Profane Love" by Titian. I was moved to tears when the tour guide told us the significance of this painting. Because of this explanation it ended up being one of my favorite paintings in my two-week trip through Italy's museums and art galleries. Gardens Spend some time before or after your museum visit just browsing the gardens, even if it's just to go get another cold water bottle from one of the carts. I saw people going about by foot, bike, Segway or golf cart. There was some notable landmarks in the gardens themselves including a replica of the Globe Theatre. Many thanks to the tour guide for making my experience at the Borghese magical. If it weren't for her I would be just floundering my last day in Rome looking at yet another painting or sculpture too museumed out to give a care about their significance. read more

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5 stars for the collection, 2 stars for the awful management of this museum. I won't go into detail about the collection, because everyone knows it's wonderful, you can Google it, and I really have nothing useful to add there. But I am still annoyed by the poor management, so I'll go into detail on that. Their website insists that you need a reservation and that everything fills up. I tried repeatedly to buy tickets online, but their website wasn't working with any of my credit cards. I decided to just show up and hope they had tickets for the same day. I showed up around 12, and there were only two people in line ahead of me. They had tickets available for EVERY remaining time. So why are they so anal about the reservations in the low season? The tickets are pricey at 20 euros, especially compared to all the other attractions in Rome. The signage is incredibly confusing, with weird pictures making it very unclear whether you have to check your bags, jackets, and umbrellas, or whether you're not allowed to check them. The security guards told me to check my small purse, but other people with similar-sized bags didn't have to check theirs. The audio guide costs another 5 euros, and I would consider it to be simultaneously mandatory and not very good. It's necessary because none of the placards have any info beyond just the artist, the name of the work (in Italian only) and the year. So to have any context or background, you need the audio guide. The descriptions are not bad, but the room numbers in the guide do not correspond with the numbers on the rooms themselves. Instead of just letting you go into this museum at your leisure during the low season, they insist on sticking to their annoying, inefficient policy of making you select a time, and they have appointment times available every two hours. This results in a ton of people all entering at the same time. It gets really packed and is an unpleasant way to appreciate beautiful art. For that reason, I would recommend starting on the top floor while most other people will start on the first floor if you want to minimize the crowding problem. Unfortunately, this also makes the audio guide even more difficult to follow, since it goes in order of the rooms in the intended order and doesn't have any visual cues for the overall room descriptions. Specific works of art do have numbers on them, so you can at least enjoy those. It's definitely worth going once, especially if you can get tickets online so you don't have to show up twice. read more

This museum requires that you buy a ticket in advance so be warned that it is well worth planning ahead to make sure you see the opulence that was the family that occupied this villa in early times. Having just been to the Vatican the Sistine chapel and of course the basilica cathedral I thought I had seen the best of the best and boy was I wrong. The very 1st Room you walk into boggles the mind in the quality complexity intricacy and of course the amount of work that went into it. The Italian's and their predecessors are known for their design and this Room flies in the face of that by showing every style and type of design and treatment known at that time all squished into one Room. As you walk through the rest of the palace you will be amazed at the level of detail the wealth and expense that went into building this facility. I cannot imagine the amount of wealth that was available at that time that was able to dominate over the people who built this. There is no paint here this is stone. As you make your way further up the building you have less impressive work in the Room and more impressive work on the walls as the art that is displayed is 2nd to none. There is a coat Room so be prepared to check your bags as that is a requirement and be prepared for the long line to get your stuff at coat check at the end of your visit. read more