The Lecture
What began as a single statue in a papal courtyard became one of the greatest museum complexes in the world.
In this engaging one-hour lecture, we trace the fascinating and often surprising history of the Vatican Museums—from the personal passions of Renaissance popes to the vast, carefully curated collections that now welcome millions of visitors each year. Far from being conceived as a “museum” in the modern sense, the Vatican collections grew organically, shaped by theology, politics, humanism, rivalry, devotion, and a profound belief in the power of beauty to teach, persuade, and inspire.
Along the way, we will meet artists, scholars, and popes whose ambitions—spiritual, political, and artistic—left an enduring mark on the way art is collected, displayed, and understood today.
Curriculum
Liz Lev
is a transplanted US art historian with degrees from University of Chicago and University of Bologna. She has been working as a guide in Rome for over 20 years and teaching at Duquesne University’s Italian campus. She loves Rome, its history, art, cuisine and people and is happiest in its many churches and museums. Liz is the author of 4 books and has commented on art and the papacy for several television networks. Her latest project was hosting a radio show for BBC’s Heart and Soul on Leonardo da Vinci! She is also a certified sommelier, so cheers!
