In-house Exhibition Activities
THE VATICAN APOSTOLIC LIBRARY IN DIALOGUE WITH CONTEMPORARY ART
Since 2021, the Vatican Apostolic Library has undertaken a programme of temporary exhibitions that brings its historical heritage into dialogue with contemporary art.
The programme was inaugurated in November 2021 by Pope Francis and represents a new way of fulfilling the Vatican Apostolic Library’s mission of preserving, enhancing and disseminating its cultural patrimony.
A PERMANENT CULTURAL LABORATORY
The programme of temporary exhibitions is conceived as a permanent research laboratory, in which the Vatican Library renews its role as an active cultural institution, capable of interpreting the present without renouncing the depth of its history.The exhibitions make it possible to:
- rediscover lesser-known aspects or elements of historical collections
- enhance the Library’s book and archival heritage from a contemporary perspective
- experiment with new forms of visual and cultural storytelling
- promote a culture of encounter between past and present
- encourage dialogue across disciplines and languages
- acquire works of contemporary art
CURRENT AND UPCOMING EXHIBITIONS
There are currently no exhibitions on display.
Subscribe to the newsletter to receive updates on upcoming exhibitions at the Vatican Apostolic Library.
EXHIBITION SPACES
The areas included in an exhibition’s route may vary depending on the exhibition and the planned visiting arrangements.
For up-to-date information on the spaces in use, please refer to the website dedicated to each individual exhibition.
PLAN YOUR VISIT
Exhibitions at the Vatican Apostolic Library are scheduled within specific timeframes and often require:
- Advance online booking through dedicated ticketing channels (up to 48 hours before the desired date)
- Compliance with access regulations for historical and cultural sites
- Indicative opening hours
– Friday: 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
– Saturday: 10:00 am – 8:00 pm
(hours may vary depending on the exhibition schedule)
Le informazioni aggiornate sono disponibili nella sezione “Visita la mostra” del sito dedicato.
PAST EXHIBITIONS
Archive of Exhibition Activities
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ravelling with Lorenzo Jovanotti Cherubini, Maria Grazia Chiuri, Kristjana S Williams – 2025
Dates:February 15, 2025 – December 20, 2025
Artists: Lorenzo Jovanotti Cherubini, Maria Grazia Chiuri, Kristjana S Williams
Curated by: Giacomo Cardinali, Simona De Crescenzo, Francesca Giannetto, Delio Vania Proverbio
The exhibition originates from the rediscovery of three issues of the journal En route, once belonging to the consul Cesare Poma, and recounts travel as a universal human experience, interweaving historical testimonies and contemporary artistic interpretations.
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Dates:March 1, 2024 – June 22, 2024
Artist:Alain Fleischer
Curated by: Giacomo Cardinali, Simona De Crescenzo, Delio Vania Proverbio
The Library is portrayed as a babel of languages and knowledge through historical photographs and previously unseen snapshots, with a multimedia installation in the Barberini Hall that gives voice to the books preserved over the centuries.
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Dates:April 28, 2023 – July 15, 2023
Artist:Sidival Fila
Curated by: Giacomo Cardinali, Simona De Crescenzo, Delio Vania Proverbio
A journey dedicated to the reuse of materials and the redemption of waste, through site-specific installations and a dialogue with the Library’s book, graphic and numismatic heritage, from antiquity to the seventeenth century.
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Dates:November 18, 2022 – February 25, 2023
Artist:Irma Boom
Curated by: Irma Boom, Giacomo Cardinali, Simona De Crescenzo, Delio Vania Proverbio
The project placed books designed by the designer and bookmaker Irma Boom in dialogue with Futurist manifestos, ancient calligrams and works by Bruno Munari, creating a connection between historical avant-gardes and contemporary editorial design.
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Dates:27 maggio 2022 – 15 luglio 2022
Artist:Maria Lai
Curated by: Giacomo Cardinali, Simona De Crescenzo, Micol Forti, Delio Vania Proverbio
The first exhibition dedicated to Maria Lai in the Vatican, focusing on the relationship between books, writing and weaving. Artist’s books, looms and installations engaged with the Library’s book heritage, with the work Invito a tavola (2004) at its core
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Dates: November 5, 2021 – February 25, 2022
Artist:Pietro Ruffo
Curated by: Giacomo Cardinali, Simona De Crescenzo, Delio Vania Proverbio
The exhibition explored cartography as a tool for representing both physical and inner territories: geographical maps, dreams, utopias and symbolic visions. Contemporary works and historical documents engaged in dialogue along a path culminating in a site-specific installation in the Barberini Hall.
CONTACTS
Mail : eventi@vatlib.it Telephone : 06 69879575
