Two Exhibitions at Galleria Borghese Rome 2026

The Galleria Borghese in Rome opens its 2026 exhibition season with two parallel dossier shows running from March 17 to May 10. The first explores the work of Giovan Francesco Penni, a central figure in Raphael's workshop. The second celebrates Marcello Provenzale da Cento, a pioneering master of Baroque mosaic. Together, they offer a rare window into two distinct chapters of art in Renaissance and Baroque Rome.

Giovan Francesco Penni and Raphael's Workshop

The first show centers on the homecoming of the Allegory of Good Hope. Attributed to Giovan Francesco Penni, the panel left the Borghese collection over two centuries ago, and the museum reacquired it at auction in May 2025. 17th-century Borghese inventories had listed it as a Raphael, reflecting Penni's close working relationship with the master. Curator Lucia Calzona presents it alongside Charity, its original companion piece, on loan from a private collection.

The display reconstructs the original context for both works. It highlights Penni's role in spreading the Raphaelesque style across early 16th-century Rome. The gallery places the panels in the Renaissance painting room, among works by Raphael and other Umbrian and Tuscan masters. After over 200 years apart, their reunion ranks among the museum's most meaningful recent acquisitions.

Marcello Provenzale and Baroque Mosaic Art

The second exhibition focuses on Marcello Provenzale da Cento and marks the 450th anniversary of his birth. Born in Cento in 1576, Provenzale led the revival of mosaic as a sophisticated art form in Counter-Reformation Rome. The Galleria Borghese holds the most extensive collection of his works worldwide.

The Galleria Borghese developed the project in collaboration with the Pinacoteca Civica "il Guercino" in Cento. A different version of the show will later travel to Cento, from October 2, 2026 to January 10, 2027. The exhibition positions Provenzale as a master who transformed an ancient craft into a contemporary art form. His career coincided with one of Rome's most creatively intense periods of church patronage.

Visiting the Galleria Borghese

The Galleria Borghese sits at Piazzale Scipione Borghese 5, inside the Villa Borghese park in Rome. The museum opens Tuesday through Sunday from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and closes on Mondays. The museum operates two-hour timed slots, admitting a maximum of 360 visitors per slot. Available entry times are 9:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., 3:00 p.m., and 5:00 p.m.

Tickets and How to Book

Standard admission costs €16, plus a mandatory €2 reservation fee, for a total of €18. Visitors aged 18 to 25 pay a reduced rate of €2. Children under 18 enter free. On the first Sunday of each month, the museum offers free admission for all visitors, though advance booking is still required.

All visitors must book in advance, and slots sell out quickly, especially from April through October. Book online through the official website, or call +39 06 32810, Monday to Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Slots typically open about ten days before the visit date, so plan to book well in advance.

Getting to the Galleria Borghese

The nearest metro stations are Flaminio and Spagna, both on Line A. From either stop, visitors can walk through the Villa Borghese park to reach the gallery. Bus lines 52, 53, 116, and 910 also serve the area. Taxis and rideshare services can drop visitors at the park's main entrances, about a 10-minute walk from the museum.

For the full exhibition program and to reserve timed-entry tickets, visit the official Galleria Borghese website.

Official Galleria Borghese website