Proger sponsors feasibility study for new wing at Galleria Borghese amid controversy

The 17th-century design of the Galleria Borghese in Rome presents challenges for accessibility, hindering space for visitors with disabilities and limiting public entry. Tickets for the earliest available date, June 20, can be purchased starting May 15, 2026, leading to scalping, with prices soaring to €80. In 2025, Proger proposed funding a feasibility study for a new wing, pledging nearly €900,000 for an architectural competition. However, a public notice in late 2025 attracted no competing bids. The proposal faced backlash from Italia Nostra Roma and others, prompting Deputy Speaker Fabio Rampelli to demand the director's resignation. Federico Mollicone recommended redeveloping the vacant Villino Pincherle instead, with critics dismissing the opposition as 'pseudo-environmentalist populism.'