Borghese Gallery and Museum Audio Guide

Borghese Gallery and Museum is a treasure trove of some of the world‘s greatest artworks. On this audio guide tour with Context Travel expert Cecilia Martini, this maestro of Medieval and Renaissance art will unravel the spellbinding tale of how Cardinal Scipione Borghese accumulated the magnificent art collection that blossomed into the famous gallery.  

Please note that from March 19 through June 19, 2024 only the first-floor sculpture gallery will be accessible while the second-floor painting gallery is closed for restoration. Our audio guide is available at a 50% discount during this time.

Starting outside the museum, you'll learn how one cardinal‘s vision birthed the “Museum of the Universe” – a constellation of modern and ancient art, botanical wonders, and creatures that fueled the imaginations of musicians, poets, and artists alike. You'll be guided through various rooms within the gallery and shown specific pieces. You'll hear about the artists behind the pieces as well as the styles involved. Cecilia will show you how ancient myths and literature were the beating heart of Italian art from the Renaissance onwards. She'll help you decipher the enigmatic symbols and profound meanings woven into masterpieces by luminaries like Domenichino, Caravaggio, Bernini, Raphael, and Titian.

On this self-paced audio guide tour of Borghese Gallery, you'll:

• Lose yourself in Canova's masterpieces and learn about the Neoclassical movement, which was based on the concept of ideal beauty and harmonious perfection, without a hint of excess
• See the significance and importance of Vraisemblance art, a style so lifelike it blurs the line between art and reality
• Witness the rise of the young Bernini, the revolutionary inventor of Baroque art, who infused sculptures with the three main elements that dominated all of his artwork: movement, drama and vraisemblance
• Discover the dramatic narrative of Gian Lorenzo Bernini's masterpieces, like the compelling Rape of Persephone, delving deep into human emotions
• Peer into Caravaggio's world, in which he painted ordinary-looking people to go against the idealized beauty of traditional Italian painting
• Interpret the layers of meaning hidden within Raphael‘s renowned works, like Portrait of a Young Woman with Unicorn and The Deposition of the Cross
• Find out how Domenichino's role as an artist wasn‘t to depict the world as it is, with all its defects and dramas, but to filter reality to show the perfect harmony behind it

By the end of this artistic odyssey, you'll be able to decode the secrets and symbolism woven into these timeless masterpieces. Prepare to leave with an enriched understanding of the world's most significant art pieces, sparking a newfound appreciation for the boundless depths of artistic expression!

The Borghese Gallery and Museum is open daily from 9 AM to 7 PM except on Mondays, and the last entrance is at 5:30 PM. The museum is closed on Mondays.

Tickets and time reservations are mandatory to visit the museum, and they sell out fast so you will need to purchase your ticket in advance of your visit. Admission tickets can be purchased here. Each visitor will receive a two-hour slot to visit the Borghese Gallery.