Open Day at Villa Medici

Sunday, April 3, 2016 , from 12.00 to 19.00 (last entry at 18.30), the French Academy in Rome presents the third edition of the Open Day and organizes free guided tours lasting 30 minutes of the most beautiful areas of Villa Medici. For the occasion the tours will pass through some of the following areas: the halls on the first floor of the building – the Grand Salon, the Salon de musique, the Salon des pensionnaires (the fellows’ salon) -, the Galeries de Ferdinando, the Grandes Galeries that host until june the exhibition Yan Pei-Ming Roma , the Piazzale, where you can admire the richly decorated interior façade, the Belvedere or the Bosco Terrasse, offering both one of the most beautiful views of Rome. The event offers a “foretaste” of Villa Medici’s amazing heritage and its gardens, which received the award for the “most beautiful park in Italy” for the year 2015 (section public parks).  Visitors will also be able to discover works of art in the collections of the Academy of France on display in the halls of the villa. The Open Day, which has become an eagerly awaited event of the city’s cultural program, will allow visitors to discover the history of the marvelous Renaissance palace as well as the missions and cultural projects of the Academy of France. After the success of past years, the initiative has been presented again to inform the public of the guided tours and educational activities program organized at Villa Medici during the entire  year. A masterpiece of Renaissance architecture, Villa Medici was designed in the sixteenth century by Cardinal Ferdinando de ‘Medici. It represents an extraordinary synthesis of art history, with works dating back to antiquity but also more recent times, such as the 1960s decorations by Balthus. Since 1803 Villa Medici has been the seat of the French Academy in Rome, home to artists and researchers of all nationalities, active in various fields of creativity. Founded in 1666 by Louis XIV, the institution is celebrating its 350th anniversary. Admission free. Last admission at 18:30. For security reasons, controls with a metal detector will be made at the entrance. An identity document can also be asked. We thank you for your understanding. No booking. Admission will  proceed in order of arrival and groups of 30 visitors will be created for each tour. The guided tours will be in Italian, French and English.