Borghese Gallery Faces Pushback Over New Building Plan
Italy’s Borghese Gallery in Rome is facing criticism from heritage groups and art historians over a proposal to build an adjacent facility intended to expand display space and increase visitor capacity. The museum currently limits entry to 360 visitors per two-hour time slot and reported more than 630,000 visitors in 2025, about a 25% increase from 2015. The Borghese Gallery is scheduled to present more details at a May 19 press conference, while a spokesperson said the process is still “purely administrative.” Rome City Council approved an initial feasibility study in January, but culture councilor Massimiliano Smeriglio said no decision has been made; critics including Friends of Villa Borghese and art historian Tomaso Montanari argue the plan could damage the villa and gardens’ historic aesthetic identity.
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This story was covered in Auction Fever, Restitution Fights, and Workers Rising