Galleria Borghese reopens its 'museum within a museum' storage with free guided tours

The Galleria Borghese in Rome has reopened its storage facility to the public after the lockdown period. This unique 'museum within a museum' houses 260 paintings displayed on two levels, organized by painting schools and thematic areas. The central space features large-format works from the 16th-century Venetian school, late Mannerist painting, and early 17th-century Roman art, divided between Carraccesque classicism and Caravaggio's naturalism. Highlights include Sassoferrato's copy of Titian's 'The Three Ages of Man', Scipione Pulzone's 'Holy Family with Saint Elizabeth', and Jusepe de Ribera's 'A Beggar'. The storage also contains oil on copper, slate paintings, micro-mosaics, and hardstone inlays such as the 'Cardinal Rosso', a small picture of a bird made from semi-precious stones. The storage is open every Wednesday and Thursday with free guided tours starting at 4:30 PM. Reservations are mandatory due to COVID-19 measures, by phone at 06 67233753 or email at [email protected].