Gregoriano Profano Museum, Archaeological museum in Vatican City
The Gregoriano Profano Museum is a collection of secular artworks within the Vatican Museums, displaying sculptures, classical artifacts, and Renaissance pieces. The galleries present these different artistic periods side by side to show their differences and connections.
The museum opened in 1970 to provide a dedicated space for non-religious artworks collected by the Vatican over centuries. This decision reflected growing understanding that secular and spiritual art are part of the same cultural story.
The collection displays Roman statues and classical works shown alongside religious artworks. Visitors can see how both forms of expression exist together and shape each other visually.
A visit requires appropriate dress code and advance reservations are recommended especially from March through October when many tourists arrive. The museum is part of the larger Vatican Museums complex, so visitors should expect longer wait times and plan for adequate time.
The museum displays sculptures from ancient Roman villas alongside artifacts discovered during excavations within Vatican City itself. This arrangement allows visitors to spot connections between different historical periods that might otherwise remain hidden.
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