The multimedia Leonardo Da Vinci Experience treats visitors to a rare comprehensive overview of Leonardo’s life’s work as both inventor and painter. On display are dozens of his ingenious machines built according to original sketches, and hand-painted reproductions of more than 20 of his masterpieces. Check out the museum’s four halls of machines grouped by theme (flying machines, war machines, perspective, and mechanic principles), then browse the gallery of full-scale paintings created using techniques and materials from Leonardo’s time.
Located near St. Peter’s Square, the Leonardo da Vinci Experience is an easy stop when visiting the Vatican, but book tickets in advance to avoid a long wait to enter.
The prestigious Bottega Artigiana Tifernate art studio created the reproductions, including The Last Supper, Mona Lisa, Virgin of the Rocks, and Lady with an Ermine.
The immersive displays use projections, holograms, and audio recordings to illustrate the collection in a way that’s engaging for adults and kids alike.
The museum is wheelchair-accessible.
There’s no museum cafè, but the surrounding neighborhood is thick with dining options.
Located on Via della Conciliazione, a few blocks from St. Peter’s Square, the museum is easy to get to from the historic center of Rome. Walk across the Ponte Sant’Angelo, or take metro line A to the Ottaviano stop.
The museum is open every day from 9am to 7:30pm, and is a nice refuge from the summer heat and crowds of St. Peter’s Square.
Numerous museums are dedicated to the life and work of Leonardo da Vinci, including important collections in Milan, Florence, and Vinci, the artist’s hometown. The Leonardo da Vinci Experience in Rome is the only museum that boasts a collection of reproductions of his Renaissance artworks.
