Exhibitions Closing in Rome: What to See in May 2026

Exhibitions closing in Rome: highlights for May 2026

In the coming weeks Rome will say farewell to several important exhibitions, from contemporary installations to photographic retrospectives. If you're planning museum visits, here is a concise guide with the shows to catch before they close and key visitor information.

• It’s Happening Again – Adrian Tranquilli (Museo di Roma - Palazzo Braschi)

  Period: 2026-04-11 – 2026-05-24. The solo show occupies the ground-floor rooms and brings together three new installations that revisit longstanding themes in the artist’s work, exploring power structures and the figure of the antihero. Free admission; museum hours: Tue–Sun 10:00–19:00 (last entry one hour before closing). Closed on Mondays.

• Wu Jian’an. Metamorphoses (Museo Nazionale Romano – Baths of Diocletian)

  Period: 2026-03-25 – 2026-05-17. The artist’s first solo museum show in Italy features leather installations, blown Murano glass, paper cuttings and large-scale collages that interweave Ovid’s Metamorphoses with Eastern philosophical traditions. Open Tue–Sun 9:00–19:00 (last entry at 18:00); admission included with the museum ticket.

• Agnès Varda. De-ci de-là Paris-Rome (Villa Medici)

  Period: 2026-02-25 – 2026-05-25. A broad retrospective juxtaposing Varda’s photographic and film work between Paris and Rome, with roughly 130 original prints, film excerpts and archival materials. A key show for understanding her attention to marginal lives and the interplay of cinema and photography.

• Elisa Montessori. Il sogno della camera rossa (EUR_Asia project)

  Period: extended until 2026-05-31. Exhibition presented in dialogue with collections of Asian arts and cultures; check opening times and ticket information before visiting.

Practical tips:

• Always verify current opening hours and access rules on the museums’ official websites before travel.
• Even for free exhibitions, confirm whether reservations are required.
• Plan visits ahead of weekends and public holidays, when visitor numbers can spike.

These selections span contemporary art, photography and large-scale installations in major Roman institutions — an opportunity to visit shows closing in May 2026.