Exhibitions not to miss in Italy — June 2026

June offers a wide range of exhibitions across Italy: international showcases and focused retrospectives covering different media. Below is a curated list with practical details to plan your visits.

• 61st Venice Biennale — In Minor Keys

  Where: Giardini della Biennale and Arsenale, Venice (with collateral venues across the city)

  When: until 22 November 2026

  Hours: daily 11:00–19:00; closed on Mondays (except public holiday Mondays)

  Notes: curated by Koyo Kouoh, the edition highlights diverse international voices, with emphasis on artists from Africa, Asia and the diasporas. Plan visits to avoid peak weekend crowds.

  Tickets: single-entry tickets around €30 (multi-day options available).

• TURNER — The Lake Como and the Italian landscape

  Where: Palazzo del Broletto and Pinacoteca Civica, Como

  When: from 29 May to 27 September 2026

  Hours: daily 10:00–18:00; closed on Monday

  Tickets: full price €12

  Why visit: an exceptional selection from the Tate illustrating Turner's fascination with Lake Como through watercolours and luminous paintings.

• Robert Mapplethorpe — The forms of beauty

  Where: Ara Pacis Museum, Exhibition Space, Lungotevere in Augusta, Rome

  When: from 29 May to 4 October 2026

  Hours: daily 09:30–19:30

  Tickets: exhibition only €15

  Notes: a comprehensive retrospective tracing Mapplethorpe’s career through portraits, floral still lifes and his controversial studies of the human body.

• Hokusai — The great Japanese master

  Where: Palazzo Bonaparte, Piazza Venezia 5, Rome

  When: until 29 June 2026

  Hours: Monday–Thursday 09:00–19:30; Friday–Sunday 09:00–21:00

  Tickets: full price €17

  Why visit: about 300 works including landscapes, prints and botanical studies offering a broad overview of Hokusai’s output.

• Mafalda & La Pimpa — Quino and Altan

  Where: Instituto Cervantes, Sala Dalí, Piazza Navona 91, Rome

  When: until 11 July 2026

  Hours: Tuesday–Friday 14:00–20:00; Saturday 12:00–20:00

  Tickets: free entry

  Why visit: a family-friendly exhibition that brings together two beloved comic characters, offering contrasting yet complementary perspectives for children and adults.

Practical tip: when driving to historic centres on busy weekends, consider leaving the car in peripheral or coordinated parking and reach exhibition venues by public transport or sharing services.