NEW PROPOSALS

Castel Gandolfo Museum Complex

The Museum Complex of the Papal Palace of Castel Gandolfo has further enriched the initiatives available to the public with two new projects to inaugurate the new exhibition season of the Papal Palace.

The cultural offering will be enriched by a new exhibition dedicated to “La Malaria”, a masterpiece by the refined Roman painter Maria Martinetti, from the Vatican Museums collections.

Thanks to the support of the Canada Chapter of the Patrons of the Arts in the Vatican Museums, in 2024 the restoration of the work was completed, curated by the Department of Nineteenth Century and Contemporary Art and conducted by the Painting Restoration Laboratory, in collaboration with the Cabinet of Scientific Research of the Vatican Museums.

The exhibition will be crowned by two original Ciociara costumes from the Collection of Arts and Popular Traditions of the Museum of Civilization in Eur, Rome, as evidence of the traditional costumes of the region.

For the occasion, journalists will have the privilege of access to the Domes of the Vatican Observatory before they open to the public, guided by expert lecturers in astronomy, in the discovery of ancient instruments to “riveder le stelle”, to see the stars again.

Organized jointly by the Directorate of the Museums and Cultural Heritage, the Directorate of the Pontifical Villas and the Directorate of the Vatican Observatory, the new projects will be presented on Friday 27 September 2024, at 11.30, in the Sala della Rocca of the Papal Palace of Castel Gandolfo in the presence of Barbara Jatta, Director of the Vatican Museums, Andrea Tamburelli, Director of the Pontifical Villas, Fr. Gabriele Gionti, S.J., Deputy Director of the Vatican Observatory, Micol Forti, Head of the Department of Nineteenth Century and Contemporary Art of the Vatican Museums and curator of the initiative, and Rossana Giardina, restorer of the Paintings and Wood Materials Restoration Laboratory of the Pope’s Museums.

The visit to the Domes of one of the oldest active astronomical observatories in the world is enriched by the Astronomical Museum zone situated in the Gardens of Villa Barberini, where it is possible to admire the collections of meteorites, lunar rocks, astronomical instruments and even two historic and still functioning telescopes, Carte du Ciel and Schmidt.

ACCREDITATION AND PARTICIPATION PROCEDURE

Journalists and media workers who wish to participate must apply no less than 24 hours before the event, via the Holy See Press Office online accreditation system, at press.vatican.va/accreditamenti

A transport service is available for journalists and media workers accredited for the event, departing from and returning to the Vatican, with the following programme:

8.30: appointment in the square in front of the Aula Nervi

8.45: departure with specially-provided coaches

9.30/9.45: arrival at Castel Gandolfo

11.30/12.15 approx.: return to the Vatican, Piazzale Sant’Uffizio.

Journalists and media workers who do not wish to use the transport service are requested to indicate this via email at accreditamenti@salastampa.va