The Vatican Museums in are located in Vatican City, a state within the city of Rome and are made up of 100 galleries and over 1400 rooms dedicated to Renaissance arts, Catholic Church history, as well as some interesting Etruscan, Ancient Egyptian, Greek and Roman collections. It is the largest exhibition space in the world, home to the Sistine Chapel, the Belvedere Apollo and the frescoed “Stanze” by Raphael and you could spend years visiting and still find more to see each and every time.
If you have found a vacation rental in Rome and are only able to dedicate a day or two to the museums, rather than years, this series of guides will help you get started and plan your visit! In this post we will discuss some more of the highlights of the museums so that you can pick the ones you are most interested in and focus on those during your visit but be sure to also read to earlier posts in this series for more information about tickets, tours and more!
If you have found a vacation rental in Rome and are only able to dedicate a day or two to the museums, rather than years, this series of guides will help you get started and plan your visit! In this post we will discuss some more of the highlights of the museums so that you can pick the ones you are most interested in and focus on those during your visit but be sure to also read to earlier posts in this series for more information about tickets, tours and more!
6. Pinacoteca
The Pinacoteca is the art gallery of the Vatican Museums. While this may sound silly as art is everywhere, this museum is largely home to Renaissance works of art, in particular. It is often overlooked by visitors because of the immense fame of the likes of the Sistine Chapel but is well worth the visit and is home to some truly extraordinary works of art.
Originally, the papal art gallery was housed in the Borgia Apartment but Pope Pius XI ordered construction of a proper, dedicated building. This new building was designed by Luca Beltrami and inaugurated on 27 October 1932. The museum boasts exceptional pieces such as Raphael’s last known work, “La Trasfigurazione” (Transfiguration, 1517– 20), and paintings by Giotto, Fra Angelico, Filippo Lippi, Perugino, Titian, Guido Reni, Guercino, Pietro da Cortona, Caravaggio and Leonardo da Vinci's San Gerolamo (St Jerome in the Wilderness, c 1480), which was never finished. With a collection that rivals most European art galleries, it is not to be missed!
The Pinacoteca is the art gallery of the Vatican Museums. While this may sound silly as art is everywhere, this museum is largely home to Renaissance works of art, in particular. It is often overlooked by visitors because of the immense fame of the likes of the Sistine Chapel but is well worth the visit and is home to some truly extraordinary works of art.
Originally, the papal art gallery was housed in the Borgia Apartment but Pope Pius XI ordered construction of a proper, dedicated building. This new building was designed by Luca Beltrami and inaugurated on 27 October 1932. The museum boasts exceptional pieces such as Raphael’s last known work, “La Trasfigurazione” (Transfiguration, 1517– 20), and paintings by Giotto, Fra Angelico, Filippo Lippi, Perugino, Titian, Guido Reni, Guercino, Pietro da Cortona, Caravaggio and Leonardo da Vinci's San Gerolamo (St Jerome in the Wilderness, c 1480), which was never finished. With a collection that rivals most European art galleries, it is not to be missed!
7. Museo Pio-Clementino
The Museo Pio-Clementino is home to the Vatican Museums’ finest classical statuary and amongst its collection are some of the most famous works of art from antiquity, including the profoundly important and influential Apollo Belvedere, the incredible 1st century group of figures that is the Laocoön and the Apoxyomenos, one of the earliest known sculptures to depict a figure with a raised arm. The museum is made up of several rooms, including the Sala degli Animali with its sculpted creatures and 4th-century mosaics, the Sala delle Muse with its famous Torso Belvedere and the Sala Rotonda with its number of colossal statues.
8. Museo Gregoriano Egizio (Egyptian Museum)
Finally, while there are many other amazing sights in the papal museums and many other particular galleries that could be mentioned, one cannot leave out the Egyptian Museum. For variety, it is a must, presenting something rather more exotic and fascinating and it makes for an interesting break from the endless Renaissance gems and Roman delights. Founded by Gregory XVI in 1839, the museum is populated by artifacts from Egypt during Roman times. While it is a small collection, there are some intriguing pieces, including a mummy!
This series hoped only to help plan a visit to the museums as, as you can see, there are endless things to see and do. Forward planning is necessary so be sure to check out this whole series of guides and have a great trip!
The Museo Pio-Clementino is home to the Vatican Museums’ finest classical statuary and amongst its collection are some of the most famous works of art from antiquity, including the profoundly important and influential Apollo Belvedere, the incredible 1st century group of figures that is the Laocoön and the Apoxyomenos, one of the earliest known sculptures to depict a figure with a raised arm. The museum is made up of several rooms, including the Sala degli Animali with its sculpted creatures and 4th-century mosaics, the Sala delle Muse with its famous Torso Belvedere and the Sala Rotonda with its number of colossal statues.
8. Museo Gregoriano Egizio (Egyptian Museum)
Finally, while there are many other amazing sights in the papal museums and many other particular galleries that could be mentioned, one cannot leave out the Egyptian Museum. For variety, it is a must, presenting something rather more exotic and fascinating and it makes for an interesting break from the endless Renaissance gems and Roman delights. Founded by Gregory XVI in 1839, the museum is populated by artifacts from Egypt during Roman times. While it is a small collection, there are some intriguing pieces, including a mummy!
This series hoped only to help plan a visit to the museums as, as you can see, there are endless things to see and do. Forward planning is necessary so be sure to check out this whole series of guides and have a great trip!
