Raphael show in Rome has been a resounding success despite Italy's lockdown and the constraints of covid-19 restrictions.

Rome's blockbuster dedicated to Raphael on the 500th anniversary of his death has been met with such demand from the public that organisers have taken the unprecedented decision to open the exhibition around the clock.

The sell-out show, which had the misfortune to open just days before Italy shut all museums and went into lockdown due to the covid-19 pandemic, reopened on 2 June under strict visiting regulations.

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The Scuderie del Quirinale controls the flow of visitors who are obliged to maintain social distancing, however this has not put off the public in the slightest, with the museum struggling to cope with the boom in demand for tickets.

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As the once-in-a-lifetime exhibition nears its final days, the museum will open to visitors from 08.00 until 01.00 from Monday 24 to Thursday 27 August, before opening 24 hours a day from Friday 28 until midnight on Sunday 30 August.

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Billed as the greatest exhibition ever dedicated to Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino, the show features no less than 100 paintings by the High Renaissance master, with 40 masterpieces on loan from the Uffizi in Florence.

For full exhibition details see Scuderie del Quirinale website.