Vasari and Rome: the major exhibition at the Capitoline Museums

Vasari and Rome: the major exhibition at the Capitoline Museums

From March 20 to July 19, 2026, the Capitoline Museums present an exhibition that investigates Giorgio Vasari’s (1511–1574) ties with Rome. The display highlights how the city shaped Vasari’s artistic development and brings together paintings, drawings and archival material on loan from important national and international collections.

Highlights

• Paintings and drawings documenting Vasari’s various stays in Rome.
• Architectural drawings, stage design sketches and archival documents revealing his work as architect and scenographer.
• Sections focusing on his dialogue with ancient art and with leading figures of the time, from Raphael to the Roman Michelangelo.

Practical information

• Venue: Capitoline Museums, Piazzale Caffarelli, Rome
• Dates: March 20 — July 19, 2026
• Opening hours: daily 9:30 am–7:30 pm (last admission one hour before closing). Closed May 1.
• Tickets: full price non-residents €19.50; reduced non-residents €14.00
• Curator: Alessandra Baroni
• Info and bookings: phone +39 06 0608 — official Capitoline Museums website

Why visit

The exhibition offers a comprehensive and updated view of Vasari as a multifaceted figure: painter, designer, chronicler and interpreter of sixteenth-century cultural life. Thanks to loans from major collections, the show reconstructs the artistic encounters and patronage in Rome that were decisive for his career.

Visitor tips

• Buy tickets in advance during peak periods.
• Allow at least 90 minutes to explore the main sections comfortably.
• Check for special openings or guided tours organised by the Capitoline Museums.