The Carlo Bilotti Museum is a relatively new museum in Rome. It is located, as its official name (Museo Carlo Bilotti – Aranciera di Villa Borghese) indicates, in the Villa Borghese Park in the Pinciano district north of the city center. The permanent collection consists of no more than 22 works, but there are also constantly changing exhibitions.
Carlo Bilotti Museum Rome
Address, opening hours and entrance fee
The address of the Museo Carlo Bilotti is Viale dell’Aranciera – Rome. There is a second entrance on Viale Fiorello La Guardia. Tel. +39 060608 (the information number of the city of Rome). Opening hours: June to September: Tuesday to Friday from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. October to May: 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Closed: Monday, Jan. 1, May 1, Dec. 25. The box office closes 30 minutes before closing time. Admission is free. However, in the case of special exhibitions, an admission fee may be charged. The museum is accessible to disabled people. A wheelchair is available.
Casina del Lago
With the, free, admission ticket for the museum one receives a 10% discount at the Casina del Lago Café (Viale dell’Aranciera, 2, tel. +39 06 85352623). This chalet was built in the 1920s and enlarged after World War II. The opening hours are those of the museum.
History of the Carlo Bilotti Museum
The Aranciera was known in the 18th century as the Casino dei Giuochi d’Acqua. The house stood in the middle of the Giardino del Lago with fountains and nymphaeums everywhere. In the richly decorated halls of the building, parties were organized by the Borghese family.
In 1849 the building was badly damaged when the French defended the pope against the Roman Republic. After this it was used as a winter storage place for citrus fruits, which unfortunately came at the expense of the decorations.
After being used as office space for a while, it was restored to house the art collection (22 paintings, drawings and sculptures) donated by Italo-American entrepreneur Carlo Bilotti.
Highlights Carlo Bilotti Museum Rome
A number of paintings and sculptures by the artist Giorgio de Chirico. They were made between 1926 and 1973.
Giacomo Manzù’s bronze “Cardinal.”
A portrait of Carlo Bilotti himself, painted by American artist Larry Rivers (1994).
A portrait of “Mother and Daughter: Tina and Lisa Bilotti” painted by Andy Warhol (1981).
“The Summer” (L’Estate) by Gino Severini (1951).
Carlo Bilotti
Carlo Bilotti was born in Rome and studied in Naples and Salerno, but later moved to the United States, where he married a wealthy heiress. He became friends with Giorgio de Chirico at an early age. He died in 2006.