Exhibition in Rome
Bernini and the Barberinis
Exhibition in Rome
Bernini and the Barberinis
Exhibition at Palazzo Barberini
Bernini and the Barberini
Bernini and the Barberini Family
Exhibition at Palazzo Barberini
February 12 to June 14, 2026
Last year, Palazzo Barberini achieved something truly special with its Caravaggio exhibition: a blockbuster show. They are hoping for the same success with the exhibition “Bernini and the Barberini Family,” which is being held as part of the 400th anniversary celebrations of the consecration of St. Peter’s Basilica.
What sounds like a tongue-twister is actually a magnificent exhibition.
When we visited, the demand for tickets was high, the rooms were packed, and the exhibited objects will surely stay with us for a long time.
The focus is on the master sculptor and architect Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1598–1680). But not only that—his relationship with his patron Maffeo Barberini (1568–1644), Pope Urban VIII, is also explored.
There are loans from the Thyssen Museum in Madrid, the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, the Galleria Borghese in Rome and other important museums.
Exhibition
Tickets
The details
at a glance
Exhibition:
Bernini and the Barberini Family
February 12 to June 14, 2026
Opening hours:
Tuesday to Sunday, 10.00 – 19.00 h
Monday – reserved for school groups: 9.00 – 14.00 h (by prior arrangement)
Prices:
Exhibition only:
EUR 16 for adults – same price with us!
EUR 10 for EU citizens aged 18-25
Free for children under 18, members of the press with ID, and people with disabilities. (Be sure to secure a free ticket with a time slot on the official website.)
Exhibition and Collection:
EUR 20 for adults – our offer is unfortunately much more expensive in this case… Sorry.
EUR 12 for EU citizens aged 18-25
Collection only (Palazzo Barberini + Galleria Corsini) Ticket valid for 20 days:
EUR 15 for adults – same price with us!
EUR 2 for EU citizens aged 18-25
Free for children under 18, members of the press with ID, and people with disabilities. (Be sure to secure a free ticket with a time slot on the official website.)
Address:
via delle Quattro Fontane, 13
Rome
Audio guide:
Included in the exhibition ticket. No information on the device or languages… Presumably Italian and English.
ICOM Card:
Receive free entry. My recommendation: Definitely secure a free ticket with a time slot on the official website. The ICOM card is not a guarantee of spontaneous entry.
Who Was
Gian Lorenzo Bernini?
Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1598–1680) was primarily a sculptor and architect, though on occasion he also took up the brush. This exhibition, however, focuses on his work as a sculptor and architect.
He was an outstanding sculptor. His sculptures appear light, full of emotion, and are therefore unique for their time (the classical Baroque period).
He was trained by his father, Pietro Bernini. In 1606, they moved to Rome and worked, among others, for Pope Paul V Borghese at Santa Maria Maggiore.
By the age of just 20, Bernini was working on a mythological sculpture group for Scipione Borghese. Between 1618 and 1625, he created Aeneas and Anchises, The Rape of Proserpina, Apollo and Daphne, and David. Unfortunately, none of these exquisite sculptures are included in this exhibition… for those, you’ll have to visit the Galleria Borghese!
Why Is the Exhibition Called Bernini & Barberini?
Barberini – who later became Pope Urban VIII – was Bernini’s most important patron. This is also where St. Peter’s Basilica comes into the story. Barberini commissioned Bernini to create the baldachin in St. Peter’s. This dark bronze canopy with its twisting columns is one of the defining features inside the basilica. Later in the text, you will learn more about their relationship.
We are welcomed by Pietro Bernini, the father of Gian Lorenzo Bernini. Not in person, of course, but through some of his remarkable works. Like his son, Pietro was both a sculptor and a painter, and the pieces on display show that artistic talent clearly ran in the family. Recognising his son’s extraordinary gift early on, Pietro brought him to Rome, setting him on the path to fame.
About the exhibition
Bernini and the Barberini
In Rome, Bernini became one of the most important artists in history. Anyone visiting the city can hardly escape his work—though, honestly, who would want to?
As mentioned earlier, much of this is thanks to Pope Urban VIII, who regularly commissioned him for major projects. Both men benefited greatly from their relationship: the Pope used Bernini’s art to showcase his power and prestige, while Bernini received financial security, protection, and a steady stream of commissions.
Under Urban VIII, Bernini created the monumental bronze baldachin in St Peter’s Basilica, the Palazzo Barberini, the Triton Fountain, the Fountain of the Four Rivers on Piazza Navona, and numerous portrait busts of the Pope.
Pope Urban VIII, however, wanted Bernini all to himself and did not want him to spend his time or talent on private clients—especially foreign ones. Yet Gian Lorenzo Bernini went ahead anyway, albeit secretly!
One example of this was in 1638, when Bernini sculpted a bust of the English art collector Thomas Baker. Even when Urban VIII ordered him to stop, Bernini continued in secret. Thankfully! The result is truly extraordinary: the delicate details are so exquisite that it’s almost unbelievable the portrait was carved from a single block of marble. This bust is also the only surviving portrait Bernini ever made for an English patron.
In this exhibition, you can also discover numerous other portrait busts by Bernini.
The exhibition not only reveals the relationship between Pope Urban VIII and Bernini, but also offers insight into how Bernini worked.
Alongside the finished artworks, sketches and preparatory sculptures that the artist used as models are on display. Particularly noteworthy is the terracotta Elefantino (1632), which clearly bears Bernini’s hand. It served as the design for the Elefantino della Minerva (1667) on Piazza della Minerva, just behind the Pantheon.
The elephant itself symbolises the strength required to bear true wisdom—the obelisk it carries.
Bernini’s talent can also be seen beautifully in his statue of Saint Sebastian.
The seated version comes from the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum in Madrid. It is one of his early works, created around 1616–1617—probably even then for Maffeo Barberini, the future Pope Urban VIII. The already, it seems, lifeless body of Saint Sebastian is marked by pain and suffering. The life-size figure, bound to a tree trunk, captures the viewer’s attention with its dramatic intensity. It is clear that Bernini’s mastery of marble transforms stone into emotion.
Conclusion
We don’t know if the exhibition will be as large as last year’s Caravaggio show.
But one thing is certain: this exhibition is an absolute must for anyone who wants to understand the art behind the art!
So, if you’re in Rome before 14 June, make sure to pay it a visit!
Yours,
Susi & Céline
Text and image rights: © Céline Mülich, 2026
With the support of Susanne Vukan
The Palazzo Barberini was contacted but did not comment. However, since we had received permission once before, we’re taking the liberty to interpret it as timeless and unlimited 😉
