Another of our favorite museums in Rome is the Barberini, (Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica).
The beautiful building from the 17c. was the official residence of Pope Urban VIII Barberini, the great patron
who made Gianlorenzo Bernini chief architect of the partially completed St. Peters basilica.

The design and construction of the Barberini Palace was completed by some of the most important architects of the 17th century: Bernini, Borromoni, and Maderno.
The Palace / Museum architecture is an example of the importance and political power wielded by the papal families and especially the family of Pope Urban VIII Barberini in the 17th c.
The Grand Salon ceiling is decorated with one of the most significant frescoes of the Baroque era, the "Triumph of Providence" representing the importance of the Barberini papacy.
The central focus of the fresco shows the three "Barberini Bees" , the symbol seen on the Barberini family's coat of arms.
The "Barberini Bees" can be seen on numerous artistic commiisions by the Barberini Pope throughout Rome.

The Barberini Pope Urban VIII commissioned Bernini to begin major works on the interior decoration of St. Peters,
including the Baldechino (large bronze canopy) over the grave of St. Peter, in the crossing of the church.
For later popes, Bernini created the Cathedra Petri (Peter's chair) in bronze in the Apse, and the Colonnade
enclosing the enormous piazza in front of the church, as well as a number of other sculptural masterpieces inside.

For crowd control and to preserve fragile works of art, no photos are allowed in most of the Italian museums,
including the Barberini,