Sis Felix
Google
Disappointing Experience at the Caravaggio Exhibition
As a huge admirer of Caravaggio, I traveled to Rome specifically to see the exhibition at Palazzo Barberini, along with a friend who is a professor of Fine Art. Sadly, the experience was deeply disappointing due to very poor organization.
Despite booking a specific time slot (8:20 PM) and paying €18 per ticket, we were let in with large crowds of people, many of whom had later time slots. The staff didn’t bother checking entry times, which led to extreme overcrowding inside. We had to wait up to 20 minutes just to see a single painting, and the air quality was terrible due to the number of people.
Even worse, audio guides were played aloud in various languages without headphones, turning what should have been a peaceful, respectful gallery visit into a chaotic, noisy experience. It felt more like a busy market than an art exhibition.
The exhibition catalogue was also disappointing—€40 for a generic book about Caravaggio that had little to do with the actual exhibition. I ended up buying a smaller one that was slightly more useful.
We weren’t just random critics—we were excited, genuine visitors who expected a world-class experience and left feeling frustrated and let down. Palazzo Barberini seriously needs to reconsider how it handles high-profile exhibitions.
In the end, it felt more like a money-making machine than a well-organized, memorable cultural experience. A real shame, considering the incredible art on display.