Located in Piccola Farnesina in Rome, the Barracco Museum of Antique Sculpture is a museum that houses Giovanni Barracco’s collection, donated by Barracco himself to the city of Rome in 1902. Filled with works of art from all over the world, like Assyrian, Egyptian, Etruscan, Greek and Roman art, this museum slowly became one of the most beloved tourist attractions in the city of Rome.
Let’s explore Museo Barracco in Rome and Giovanni Barracco’s collection!
Giovanni Barracco: The Intellectual, Politician, and Art Collector
Born in 1829 in the region of Calabria, more precisely in Isola di Capo Rizzuto, Giovanni Tommaso Carlo Barracco was an intellectual, a politician, an alpinist, a mercenary and also a collector of art. His life was always characterized by his strong passion for culture and art and, because of this, when he was still quite young he had a large library built, which was later on donated to the Municipality of Rome. When he moved to the capital in 1871, he began collecting prestigious art, something that then led him to become the founder of Museo Barracco, one of the most valuable art museums in Rome. His collection counted over 380 works of art belonging to all kinds of historical populations: Egyptian, Sumerian, Assyrian, Etruscan, Cyprian, Phoenician, Greek, Hellenistic, Italian, Roman and Medieval art. To put together his collection, Giovanni Barracco got help from art experts from all over the world, starting with Ludwig Pollak, the first curator of Museo Barracco. Later on, he also referred to Wolfgang Helbig and Earl Giampaolo Dionisi Piomarta, who was also a very passionate art collector.
Throughout his years in Rome, Giovanni Barracco actively participated in the cultural life of the city and became great friends with many intellectuals, amongst whom Eleonora Duse. He was also part of Queen Margherita’s circle of intellectuals with whom he shared a passion for mountains. As mentioned before, in fact, Giovanni Barracco was also an alpinist and he was the first man to climb Mont Blanc and Monte Rosa.
Artworks from around the world at Museo Barracco
As previously said, the Museum houses pieces from all over the world and its 400 works of art are divided into two floors and nine rooms according to the eras they belong to. Here’s a more detailed explanation of how the museum looks:
- THE FIRST FLOOR:
On the first floor of Museo Barracco, you will be able to find Egyptian art in Room I and Mesopotamian art in Room II. Room III is instead filled with Etruscan and Phoenician art, whilst Room IV houses some Cyprian art.
- THE SECOND FLOOR
The second floor of Museo Barracco is instead predominantly dedicated to classical art. Room V is filled with some original Greek and Roman sculptures from the classical and late classical eras. Rooms VII and VIII house both Greek and Italic ceramics belonging to the time of Alexander the Great. Room IX houses some Medieval art.
Plan Your Visit: Location and Opening Hours of Museo Barracco in Rome
If you’re planning on going to Museo Barracco, which we highly suggest, here’s some useful information regarding the location, opening hours and days.
- LOCATION: The Museum is located in Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, 166a, Vicolo dell’Aquila;
- OPENING DAYS AND HOURS: From October to May the Museum is open from Tuesdays to Sundays from 10:00 AM to 04:00 PM. From June to September, the Museum is open from Tuesdays to Sundays from 01:00 PM to 07:00 PM. During the Holidays, opening hours may vary, so we suggest you always check before going.
Conclusion
Visiting Museo Barracco in Rome is a great way to fully get lost in art and culture from all over the world and see how things changed throughout the centuries. Don’t miss out on this opportunity if you’re in Rome and book a Rome tour with us for the best experience!
