Chiostro del Bramante Turns Renaissance Cloister into Summer Game Zone

Throughout summer 2024, the 16th-century Chiostro del Bramante in Rome transforms its loggia into a game area with ping pong, checkers, chess, and backgammon stations. The initiative, called Chiostro Game, invites visitors of all ages to engage with art through play, complementing site-specific works by international artists and 14th-century frescoes. The cloister, commissioned by Cardinal Oliviero Carafa in 1500 and designed by Donato Bramante—first architect to Pope Julius II and rival of Michelangelo—is part of the complex including Santa Maria della Pace. Today it operates as a multifaceted cultural venue under the curatorship of Danilo Eccher. Director Natalia de Marco states the goal is to offer new opportunities for fun and interaction, making culture a daily experience. The summer also features the exhibition "Emotion," curated by Eccher and running until September 29, exploring emotions through works by over twenty artists including Alfredo Jaar, Michelangelo Pistoletto, Carsten Höller, and others. Eccher describes the show as a dialogue between truth and appearance, guided by surprise and perception. Chiostro Game was conceived by DART – Chiostro del Bramante as part of a forward-looking development strategy.