Great news: Across Europe, museums will be free and open late the night of May 14.
Here in Rome, that includes all state-owned museums, like the Musei Capitolini, MACRO, Galleria Borghese, Palazzo Barberini, and Castel Sant’Angelo.
A little more unusually, it also includes museums not often part of these free events, like the Scuderie del Quirinale (currently with a Lorenzo Lotto exhibit); the MAXXI, with its great Michelangelo Pistoletto exhibit; and the Palazzo delle Esposizioni, with its show on European 19th- and 20th-century art including pieces by Corot, Monet, Renoir, Ernst, Klee, and Picasso.
All will be open, and free, from 8pm-2am, with last entrance at 1am.
Another bonus? The Palazzo dell Esposizione hosts two piano concerts by Michelangelo Carbonara, one at 9pm and one at 10:30pm, celebrating the same time period that’s also shown with the exhibit.
Whether you’re one of the brave souls coming to Rome for the beatification ceremony of Pope John Paul II on May 1, or someone who will just happen to be here anyway, be warned: You’re not the only one. It’s been estimated that 2 to 3 million pilgrims will alight on the city — doubling Rome’s population.
Obviously, we won’t know if that happens till it happens. But it’s probably smart to plan ahead. So anything you can book far in advance, whether hotel or Vatican or walking tour or restaurant, do. And bring your walking shoes: If this many people will really be here, that means cabs will be full and the bus and metro systems, already full during rush hour, will be packed all day along. But even if you’re all booked, remember that even the best-laid plans can go awry. That’s true on the best of days in Rome. It’ll be even more true now.
One thing that you should be able to count on, though, is the schedule of events for the beatification ceremony itself. The detailed schedule was just announced a couple of days ago. Here it is:
Saturday, April 30
8pm. Prayer vigil, Circus Maximus. Speakers will include Pope John Paull II’s closest aide, Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz, and his spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls; Pope Benedict XVI will recite the final oration and bless the people.
Sunday, May 1
9am. St. Peter’s Square. Hour of preparation, when the faithful pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy together.
10am. The liturgy of the beatification, followed by a mass. At the end, a tapestry of Pope John Paul II will be unveiled. After, the Pope and cardinals will pray before John Paul’s body in St. Peter’s Basilica.
Evening. John Paul II’s remains will continue to be in front of the basilica’s main altar (known as the “Altar of Confession”), and pilgrims are welcome to venerate there.
Monday, May 2
10:30am. St. Peter’s Square. A thanksgiving mass will celebrate John Paul II, with music by the Choir of the Diocese of Rome, Choir of Warsaw and the Wadowice Symphony Orchestra of Poland.
Although I usually focus on events in Rome, I came across some news today that — especially since I just posted on Naples as a great day or weekend trip from Rome — I can't not share with you all.
From now until May 30, some of Naples' top museums will be free. The fantastic Archaeological Museum, unfortunately, doesn't seem to be included, but the museum at Capodimonte (remember, the one with all of those famous pieces by artists from Botticelli to Caravaggio) is. That's €7.50 saved. You can buy two whole pizzas with that kind of change.
The Capodimonte, as well as the museum at Castel Sant'Elmo and the Certosa and Museum of San Martino, are free from 8:30am-10am and 4pm-7:30 through May. The museum Duca di Martina is free all day (8:30am-2pm). Click here for information on Naples' free museums from Pierreci.
