Discovering Art with Kids at Galleria Borghese

Apollo and Daphne by Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1625)

While visiting the Vatican Museum is de rigueur for any trip to Rome, I must confess that my family much preferred the art experience at Galleria Borghese. This private house turned public art gallery is located in the sprawling and verdant Villa Borghese park which itself has a ton of fun activities for kids like bicycles, rowboats, a zoo and a carousel.

Walking up to the Galleria Borghese

A Brief History

This 20-room villa was originally built in the 17th century on the outskirts of Rome as a party house for Cardinal Scipione Borghese who was the nephew of Pope Paul V. Why a cardinal needs a party house is beyond me. Flamboyant living must run in the family because one of his descendants, Lorenzo Borghese, was the featured catch on the modern day reality TV show, The Bachelor. Aside from acting as the pope's secretary and the Superintendent General of the Papal States, Cardinal Borghese took great pleasure in collecting art and antiquities as well as acting as a patron to the artists Bernini and Caravaggio. The... ahem... "gifts" from the papal government to the Cardinal immensely helped him fund and supply his hobby. The villa and the collection were sold to the Italian government in 1902. 

Baroque style rooms

Baroque Rooms

The elaborate Baroque ceiling and trompe-l'œil that decorated the walls is what first caught my daughter's eye. She wondered, "Is that real or is it just painted on?" Sometimes, it was hard to tell. This place reminded her a lot of Versailles' Hall of Mirrors, and I'm going to have to agree. There was just so much going on with no place to rest your eyes. 

Considering how crowded all the other tourist attractions in Rome are, I also really enjoyed not feeling packed in like a can of sardines at the Galleria Borghese. They only admit 360 people maximum during each two hour viewing period, and you must leave at the end of your assigned time. The collection is small enough that you probably won't feel rushed. It used to be bigger until 1807 when Emperor Napoleon pressured his brother-in-law, Prince Camillo Borghese, into selling pieces from the family's art collection to the French. You now have to go to the Louvre to see some of the more spectacular items that the Borghese used to own.

Apollo and Daphne

My favorite piece in the entire collection is Bernini's Apollo and Daphne. In fact, that sculpture (pictured at the top of the post) is easily my favorite of every single piece of artwork I've seen in my entire life. When I gazed upon Michelangelo's Pieta at the Vatican or the Venus de Milo at the Louvre, I only knew that they were great works of vast importance because someone told me so. It was completely different with Apollo and Daphne. I'm basically ignorant when it comes to art, so I knew nothing beforehand about this sculpture, its creator, or even of its existence. I walked into the room, saw it, and was immediately captivated. 

The movement of Daphne's windswept tresses and the cloth whipping behind Apollo as she attempts to flee from him only to find herself turning into a tree are so very lifelike. How could this possibly be rendered in stone? I couldn't help walking around the statue and marveling at the craftsmanship. 

What the Kids Liked

My kids were surprisingly engrossed at this museum, paying close attention to their audioguides and getting only slightly distracted by their desire to annoy each other. I think that's why I like this museum so much. I was actually able to look at things without simultaneously playing referee. 

Paying rapt attention to the audioguide

My daughter kept pointing out all the funny things she saw. 

Naked children playing instruments and balancing precariously on a balcony.

I'm kind of wondering where the artist got his inspiration for the above piece. "Here hon, go out on the balcony and bang on this tambourine with your friends. Sure, I don't mind if you just balance on the ledge." If you let your kids actually do this nowadays, Child Protective Services would immediately be calling on you. 

Beware flying cupids with hammers

Why is this cupid wielding a hammer? It seems to be taking a certain measure of glee in the look of concern on the man's face. If you looked up to see a flying baby coming at you with a hammer, wouldn't you look a little more scared?

Lady with a Unicorn by Raphael (circa 1505)
Note: Pardon the reflection on the glass.

If I actually managed to capture a unicorn and give it to my kid, I would hope that she would be more excited. This lady has a very dour expression. What does she want? Two unicorns?

Swamp Creature?

This one is my favorite because it seems so out of place among the 1st century antiquities, classical sculptures and Baroque artwork. I think it looks like something out of a 1950's horror flick. The audioguide mentioned nothing about it, so I am free to make up my own story.

Do you like to make up your own stories for a work of art?

IF YOU VISIT THE BORGHESE MUSEUM AND GALLERY (GALLERIA BORGHESE)

• Open Tuesday to Sunday from 8:30AM to 7:30PM. Closed all Mondays, January 1 and December 25.
• Tickets are for timed entry and limited to a 2 hour visit. Only 360 people are admitted during each time period. You must exit at the end of your slot.
• Full-price admission is €11,00 (+ € 2,00 mandatory service charge). Included in Roma Pass. Free on the first Sunday of each month, but a reservation is imperative. 
• Reserving tickets beforehand is highly recommended. When I was there in June, the next walk-up ticket available was 2 days away. Buy tickets online. If you have a Roma pass or are reserving for the free 1st Sunday of the month, call +39 06 32810 where an English-speaking representative can assist you in reserving a time without paying.
• If you are visiting during the summer, an afternoon reservation will give you a place to escape the heat for a few hours.
• Audioguides in Italian, English, French, German and Spanish available for €5.
• Guided tours in English are conducted at 9:10AM and 11:10AM. Guided tours in Italian are conducted at 11:10AM, 3:10PM, and 5:10PM. Price is €5.
• All bags and umbrellas must be deposited for free in the cloakroom. I suggest you arrive 15 minutes before your entry time to deposit items.
• A cafe serving sandwiches, baked goods, and drinks is located on the bottom floor.
• See the website for more information.
• Try to leave some time to explore the surrounding Villa Borghese park. 

Related Posts:

Postcards from an Afternoon Stroll in Rome

Villa Borghese: Enjoy the Outdoors in Rome
Contemporary Art at the Vatican Museum
When in Rome... Learn to Fight at Gladiator School
Ice Cream is the Cure for Jet Lag

This post is part of the following linkups. Be sure to check them out for more around-the-world travel inspiration.

• Travel Photo Thursday on Budget Travelers Sandbox
• Friday Postcards at Walking On Travels
• Weekend Travel Inspiration at Reflections Enroute
• Sunday Traveler on Chasing the Donkey, Pack Me To..., A Southern Gypsy, The Fairytale Traveler, and Ice Cream & Permafrost.