Rome, the Borghese Gallery reopens its storerooms to the public. Visits every Wednesday and Saturday

Starting in March, the Galleria Borghese in Rome will reopen its deposits to the public, with free guided tours (for groups of up to 15 people) taking place every Wednesday and Saturday at 3:30 p.m. The deposits of the Galleria Borghese, a sort of second picture gallery that makes them a rare case in the world, are of exceptional value and quality: they house about 260 paintings arranged on two levels, ordered by schools of painting and thematic areas, and complete with all the exhibition apparatus. A sort of second museum, in short, that accommodates the part of the collection that does not find a place in the two floors below, since the structural and decorative overhaul of the late eighteenth century changed the museum from the arrangement desired by Cardinal Scipione Borghese (Rome, 1577 - 1633), and no longer allows the display of the entire catalog of works.

Thus, the storerooms, from closed and inaccessible places, become, reads a note, “open and welcoming spaces that reveal works of great artistic value and that restore the history of the collection, the building and the taste of the ages.” The central room features the large canvas by Lavinia Fontana (Bologna, 1552 - Rome, 1614) depicting Minerva in the act of adorning herself, which belonged to Cardinal Scipione Borghese, who purchased it directly from the artist or his heirs. Along the walls devoted to the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, paintings by Carracci and Perin del Vaga, among others, are on display. On the upper floor, the public can admire the flagellated Christ by Giovanni Baglione (Rome, 1566 - 1643), known to have been Caravaggio’s biographer and rival, and still important works by Cavalier d’Arpino, Paul Bril, and Elisabetta Sirani.

To complete the initiative, a Small Guide has been produced by the museum for the use of visitors (printed and online) that presents ten masterpieces with essential contents. A number of special activities offering participation experiences for the differently abled have also been launched: the LiberaMente cultural mediation project with the Via Palestro Mental Health Center, ASL Roma 1 and the intercultural mediation project with the CivicoZero day care center and Save the Children.

Reservations are required to visit the depots (€2 fee): you can call 06 32810 or visit www.galleriaborghese.it and follow the instructions.

Rome, the Borghese Gallery reopens its storerooms to the public. Visits every Wednesday and Saturday

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