Tucked away in the expansive Villa Borghese park just north of Rome’s historic center, the Galleria Borghese represents one of the most art-rich galleries in the city. It houses the extensive collection of priceless works collected by the Borghese family over centuries. The building itself was constructed in the 17th century and was considered a private suburban refuge for the Borghese family on the fringe of Rome. Today among its various frescoed rooms, priceless masterpieces hang and stand for visitors to observe and become inspired.
In this guide, we’ll explain everything you need to know to plan your visit to the Galleria Borghese, from how to get there, where to purchase tickets, and a few of the most extraordinary works.
Visit the Galleria Borghese in Rome
The Galleria Borghese is located at Piazzale Scipione Borghese, 5. The easiest way to reach the museum by public transport from the center is to take the metro to Spagna (Line A) and follow the signs within the stop for “Villa Borghese”. It’s a about a five minute walk through tunnels, but you will eventually arrive at the end of the Via Veneto or the Porta Pinciana entrance to Villa Borghese. From here it’s about 5-7 minutes walking on a path in the park to reach Piazzale Scipione Borghese and the Galleria Borghese. (Several bus lines also stop at Porta Porciana, at the stop “S. Paolo del Brasile” if a bus route is more convenient for you).
There is a small cafè at the Galleria Borghese to grab a coffee or snack before or after your visit. Weather and time permitting, a visit to the Galleria Borghese could be part of a day enjoying Villa Borghese and other parks in Rome.
Tickets and Reservations
Tickets must be purchased prior to visiting the Galleria Borghese and a maximum of 360 visitors are allowed in the museum at any given time. Visits are limited to 2-hour periods and entrance is permitted at 9am, 11am, 1pm, 3pm, and 5pm from Tuesday through Sunday (Closed Mondays). A special twilight entrance is available on Thursdays at 7pm.
Tickets start at €22 per person and may be purchased online from the official museum website.
Museum Highlights
The Galleria Borghese houses some of the best collections of Bernini and Canova sculptures as well as paintings by Caravaggio and Titian. Below we’ve listed a few of the pieces from the permanent collection:
Apollo and Daphne | Gianlorenzo Bernini | 1622-1625
The Rape of Proserpina | Gianlorenzo Bernini | 1621-1622
David | Gianlorenzo Bernini | 1623-1624
Venus Vetrix (Paolina Borghese) | Antonio Canova | 1805-1808
*See our other post of where to find all the best statuary by Canova in Rome!
Saint Jerome Writing | Caravaggio | 1605-1606
Boy with a Basket of Fruit | Caravaggio | 1593
For more information about museum highlights or to check out current temporary exhibitions, visit the official museum website.
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