Questions about Borghese Museum

The Borghese is one of the popular museums. We went in early May this year and purchased tickets about a month in advance for 4 people. While you don't need to guide to enjoy the museum, we actually booked the English tour sponsored by the Museum and found it informative and entertaining.

Thanks for the reply, when you say English tour, is that with a guide or an audio guide?

With a guide from the museum. Not an audio guide.

Tickets are not required for The Pantheon. It's a remarkable structure in incredible condition for its age.

https://theromanguy.com/italy-travel-blog/italy-travel-blog/rome/pantheon/how-to-visit-the-pantheon/

According to this, you do now need tickets to visit the Pantheon.

Last year, we reserved tickets and the guide provided by the museum was included. Her English was excellent, and she pointed out interesting features in many of the sculptures that weren’t obvious, and that I hadn’t read about in Rick Steves’ or other guidebooks. Up on the top floor, she focused on several key paintings, but there’s a lot that the tour couldn’t cover with the time available. Still, that tour was very worthwhile.

I went back a second time on last year’s trip, which unguided, to see more of the paintings and other art. There was a couple with a private guide (not a museum employee), and that guide was extremely loud - distracting. Everywhere I went, that threesome seemed to follow, then park themselves in the room, spacing themselves to take up way more room than 3 people needed. That was an annoying guided tour, whereas the one the museum provided was more considerate to other museum visitors, while providing an exceptional, easy to hear tour for those of us on her tour.

Do get your tickets purchased the moment your desired date becomes available. If you hesitate, the tickets could likely get snatched up by somebody else.

Pantheon: tickets were only needed for certain days (Fridays and weekends, maybe?), but our private guide (not the same one as at the Borghese) got us tickets while we stood in the surprisingly long line. It was a Friday, as I recall. I believe she said that soon, tickets were going to be needed every day. Get them before you arrive, so you’re not waiting.

The Pantheon REQUIRES tickets to enter.

https://www.pantheonroma.com/home/

VISIT THE PANTHEON
Entrance Ticket required

The Pantheon is open from 9.00-19.00 (last admission 18.30). Starting from July 3rd, it is mandatory to have an entrance ticket to access the Pantheon. The entrance ticket can be purchased online through the Ministry's platform or directly at the ticket counter in front of the monument, using cash or electronic payment.

We just used the audio guide at the Borghese and I felt it was all I needed. I don't remember if we paid a bit extra for it, or if it was included. I liked going at my own pace, and going back to certain rooms.
I would agree that I found the tours distracting. In terms of how far in advance, keep an eye for when they release the tickets. It was only a couple of months before when we went.

Thanks for the information on the Borghese and Pantheon

The Galleria Borghese is absolutely my favorite museum in Rome, I would research when tickets become available, and book on that day to avoid disappointment. One tip for the Pantheon, is to book the first time available in the morning as it's not usually quite as busy, then walk to Piazza Navona and bask in front of the magnificent fountains.....

Good to know, thanks....I love it there, and I can tell you do too!

Last year, in early April, I bought the tickets online for a couple of days later. I would buy them for 9am so it’s not too crowded.

I just went to the Pantheon last week (Saturday, November 18th). I was able to just walk up and get a ticket without pre-booking. I did get there right after it opened and when the crowds were light, around 9:15am. I passed by the area a few times later in the day, and the lines were not too bad, even for a weekend. There were electronic kiosks outside or you could stand in line (left side of the entrance as you face the building) and that line went very quickly.

I suspect if you're going in the middle of summer, the experience will be different, but it really wasn't too bad. Cost to get in was 5 EUR.