Is the Borghese Gallery good for kids, and is it wheelchair accessible?
Updated October 27, 2026
Quick answer
Yes to both, with planning. Under-18s from the EU and equivalent countries enter free but still need a booked slot and the €2 booking fee (children up to 5 skip the fee). The museum has a stair lift, a step-free rear entrance and a lift to the paintings floor, though large wheelchairs do not fit in the lift.
The visit is short and fixed at two hours, which suits children better than a day-long museum. The ground floor is full of sculpture that reads as stories, such as Bernini's Apollo and Daphne, where a nymph turns into a laurel tree as the god catches her.
Free under-18 tickets still need a slot
Children and teenagers under 18 enter free, but every ticket must be booked for a timed slot, and the €2 booking fee (about $2) applies from age 6. Children up to 5 are exempt from the fee but still need a booking. The free and reduced rates apply to EU citizens, citizens of countries with reciprocity and holders of an Italian residence permit. If none of those applies to your family, your children pay the same as adults: €18 (about $20) with the fee. One buyer can book at most 5 tickets at a time, so a large family may need two bookings.
- Up to 5 (EU and equivalent) — Free, no booking fee, booking required
- 6 to 17 (EU and equivalent) — Free + €2 booking fee (about $2)
- 18 to 25 (EU and equivalent) — €2 + €2 fee = €4 (about $4)
Strollers and the cloakroom
The museum's published visit, info and accessibility pages say nothing about strollers. Four of the gallery tours and tickets sold through the booking partner do bar strollers or baby carriages for their guests, and one gardens tour says it cannot take wheelchairs or strollers at all. A baby carrier is the safe plan. Bags bigger than 21 x 15 cm, including backpacks and changing bags, go in the cloakroom at the entrance; the toilets and cloakroom are on the lower floor.
Wheelchair access and the lift
The works are on the ground floor (sculpture) and the first floor (paintings); the ticket office, café, toilets and bookshop are on the lower floor. Disabled visitors and one companion get free tickets, and the museum runs free guided tours for disabled visitors and sign-language tours on request.
- Front entrance — Stair lift to the left of the outside staircase
- Rear entrance — Piazzale Scipione Borghese 5, no stairs, straight to the sculpture floor
- Lift to the first floor — Small: large wheelchairs do not fit; the museum lends small wheelchairs for the lift and larger ones upstairs
- Accessibility phone — +39 06 67233753; free tours for disabled visitors (V.A.M.I. volunteers) on +39 06 85357564
- Partner tours — One audio-guide ticket bars electric wheelchairs; the gardens tour cannot take wheelchairs
Kid-friendly highlights
Start downstairs, where the big marble figures are: Bernini's David in Room 2, caught mid-throw, and Apollo and Daphne in Room 3. Upstairs, pick two or three paintings rather than all twelve rooms. Families also review the tours well: on the gallery and gardens tour, one of the 10 latest reviews says the reviewer's sons, aged 8 and 12, enjoyed it. After the slot, the park is free, and the e-bike tour of Villa Borghese has a rear child seat up to 20 kg (a rider must be 12 to use an e-bike). Book slots ahead on the Borghese Gallery tickets page.
Frequently asked questions
Do kids need a ticket for the Borghese Gallery?
Yes. Every child needs a booked slot. Under-18s from the EU and equivalent countries enter free and pay the €2 fee; children up to 5 pay nothing.
Can I bring a stroller into the Borghese Gallery?
The museum's pages do not say. Partner tours and tickets bar strollers, so bring a baby carrier.
Is the Borghese Gallery wheelchair accessible?
Yes, with limits. There is a stair lift and a step-free rear entrance; the lift upstairs is small, and the museum lends small wheelchairs for it.
Do disabled visitors pay at the Borghese Gallery?
No. Disabled visitors and one companion get free tickets and skip the €2 booking fee, but they still need a booking.
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