4 ms·

How the Elite See Rome

47 points by bookofjoe 4mo ago

bookofjoe 4mo ago
https://archive.ph/nQkAA https://archive.ph/nQkAA
- klez 3mo ago
  archive.ph is blocked in Italy. archieve.is is accessible https://archive.is/Ei7AE https://archive.is/Ei7AE
illliillll 4mo ago
I sell these, have done many. Basically just about any museum (or similar) in the world is happy to accept large sums of money from rich people in exchange for exclusive experiences. This helps fund the museums and everyone wins.
- alexpotato 3mo ago
  Celebrities and hedge funds will often do things like "rent out Disneyland for the day" as well.
  - filoleg 3mo ago
    You don't even need to be a celebrity or a hedge fund to do that. The public state college I attended rented out Six Flags every fall semester for a day, with free (or nearly free/subsidized) tickets for students. It was a great way to attend, because it was basically students-only, so no need to worry wasting insane amounts of time in lines. And overall, the vibes were great.
    - alexpotato 3mo ago
      This is an excellent used of student activity funds. In fact, a lot of colleges have a pool of money for just this kind of activity. Rutgers used some of this money to organize a paintball trip. On the way back from that trip is how the club got started which then turned into a team etc. I was one of the first officers and that's what led to me working in pro paintball several years later.
      - filoleg 3mo ago
        I am of the same opinion. Just doing the napkin math on it, it doesn't come out to be a crazy number, and the bang per buck (in terms of how much it benefits the students) was great. Another similar event that my school did was reserving GA Aquarium for students for an evening+overnight. That one was even better imo, as I love GA Aquarium a ton. And being allowed to stay overnight to sleep in your own sleeping bag right next to sharks and other animals passing you by was soothing and awesome.
  - qingcharles 3mo ago
    The VIP package for Disney and Universal is worth every single penny. You get a personal guide taking you to the back door and walking you straight onto every ride. Then your lunch is already made and ready for you during the day to save even more time.
Almondsetat 4mo ago
Tourism has to be managed. Most istitutions can't, or can in a relatively limited manner. Rich people provide both the money and the reputation to allow them to have profitable private tours without risking too much. There is no real reason why a museum can't be open at 2 A.M., it's just that it's economically impossible, unless someone pays enough money. There is no real reason why a small church painted by Giotto can't be opened to the public, but managing all the people and making sure they don't damage stuff is a nightmare, unless the people entering have a verifiable reputation.
- paganel 3mo ago
  [flagged]
  - armchairhacker 3mo ago
    I’d work a museum at 2 A.M. for enough pay and time off.
    - paganel 3mo ago
      What about your family? Are they ok with that? And we both know that the involved museum employees do "not het enough pay", this is 2026 we're talking about.
      - armchairhacker 3mo ago
        > What about your family? Are they ok with that? I'm single without kids so yes > And we both know that the involved museum employees do "not het enough pay", this is 2026 we're talking about Context from the parent comment > There is no real reason why a museum can't be open at 2 A.M., it's just that it's economically impossible, unless someone pays enough money.
  - snowpid 3mo ago
    to add to the neighbour comment: Night shifts are very popular in German car factories as they give good money.
artisinal 3mo ago
Rome has always been a city for the elite. Current day Rome is more accessible than ever for the commoners. If rich people pay money for private access and part of that money ends up being used for preservation: Good.
- xg15 3mo ago
  They could also just tax rich people more and use that money for conservation...
  - snowpid 3mo ago
    who is they? I doubt the Italian state can tax American or Singaporean rich tourists.
    - artisinal 3mo ago
      You could change tourist tax to be 5% of the room rate. That would be €5 to €10 per night for common people and €1000 per night for rich tourists.
      - harvey9 3mo ago
        How does this achieve the aim of a rich person seeing a painting that is not on public display?
  - azan_ 3mo ago
    They actually can't, but even if they could - expensive private viewings are much more fair.
  - deleted 3mo ago
    [deleted]
  - matwood 3mo ago
    Italy's taxes are already quite high, but they do have some regimes to encourage HNW people to move there.
khurs 3mo ago
Isn't this the case globally and not just Rome? It's a business decision, if the rich person wants to pay and its more profitable than the alternative and/or may get massive press or social exposure than it may get a yes. If a mega-celebrity wants to visit the Louvre, the Louvre (and French police) don't want the headache of it getting leaked on social media and thousands of fanatical Stans turning up as a mob, so safer to arrange a private viewing. London museums as an example are routinely strategically sponsored by companies and individual with bad reputations.Example https://cultureunstained.org/2025/11/18/british-museum-drops-tobacco-sponsor-after-government-intervention-putting-pressure-on-controversial-bp-deal/ https://cultureunstained.org/2025/11/18/british-museum-drops... and Saudi Arabia has been whitewashing the killing of the journalist via bankrolling Sports.
- cucumber3732842 3mo ago
  It's the case the world over across every sector of the economy. Frito Lay or isn't gonna stop a line because some bearing is dying. Someone is gonna show up on Friday night and get to work.
- MSkill1 3mo ago
  Or maybe we just ban celebrities from going to the Louvre, period. If you've decided that you need to be popular so badly that you ruin it for other people when you go to the public places, you should be banned from public places. Be happy with your fame and stay away from us peons. That's what you wanted.
  - SpicyLemonZest 3mo ago
    Museums generally have to make rich people feel welcome because they require their patronage. The Louvre used to be an exception, operating as a sole project of the French government, but they've cut back substantially over the past few decades and the new endowment fund has filled the gap.
gib444 3mo ago
Where's the line between in-depth reporting and long-form advert? The Atlantic's reader base is the exact target audience for such services
- derektank 3mo ago
  Presumably the line is whether or not the publisher is getting paid for the writing. The Atlantic does do branded content from time to time, but they always explicitly label it as such. I would bet a substantial sum that this article is not an advertisement.
- gus_massa 3mo ago
  It's time to link again the old article by pg: https://www.paulgraham.com/submarine.html https://www.paulgraham.com/submarine.html
rwmj 3mo ago
As an aside I once went on a tour of the museums of Amsterdam with an expert guide (paid for by the company I was visiting). It was fantastic! A completely different experience from being a regular tourist. I learned far more about Amsterdam and the art than I could possibly have done on my own.
- al_borland 3mo ago
  When I first started traveling I avoided guides, and didn’t want to be a “tourist”. Over the years I’ve gotten over that and started going on more tours, I learn so much more than I otherwise would, and get access to places that are normally off limits. It’s a much better experience.
- riffraff 3mo ago
  This is true with basically every place and a proper guide. I understand why people don't usually hire a person to walk then around when they're traveling solo or with their family, but if you're a mildly curious person it's a fantastic way to experience museums, archeology and nature.
collinmcnulty 3mo ago
Tangential a bit, but I grate at using “elite” as a synonym for “rich”. It adopts the framing favored by powerful people as if they have an inherent difference and aren’t just some people that society allows to have more resources. It promotes a false inevitability.
- jayers 3mo ago
  Well elite and rich are actually different categories. The guy down in my parents suburban neighborhood who started a carpentry business at 18 and is now 45 years old and a millionaire is in a very different category from someone who went to Harvard Law and became a partner at a massive firm in Manhattan, even if their net worth is similar. Plenty of normal folks start businesses in various industries and get rich off of it. You can make tens of millions of dollars running a restaurant chain, a trades business, manufacturing, a car repair shop, car dealership etc. But those are not elite jobs.
  - collinmcnulty 3mo ago
    I would argue it’s a matter of degree, not of kind. “Private equity” is a rhetorical device to convert “I run an unglamorous business” into “I’m the kind of person who gets the private tour”. All the status stuff can be bought.
thecolorblue 3mo ago
As much as rich people can do whatever they want if they hand over enough money, it seems like these people will not be rich for long if they fork over this much money for a single day experience.

47 points by bookofjoe 4mo ago

bookofjoe 4mo ago

https://archive.ph/nQkAA https://archive.ph/nQkAA

klez 3mo ago
archive.ph is blocked in Italy. archieve.is is accessible https://archive.is/Ei7AE https://archive.is/Ei7AE

illliillll 4mo ago

I sell these, have done many. Basically just about any museum (or similar) in the world is happy to accept large sums of money from rich people in exchange for exclusive experiences. This helps fund the museums and everyone wins.

alexpotato 3mo ago
Celebrities and hedge funds will often do things like "rent out Disneyland for the day" as well.
- filoleg 3mo ago
  You don't even need to be a celebrity or a hedge fund to do that. The public state college I attended rented out Six Flags every fall semester for a day, with free (or nearly free/subsidized) tickets for students. It was a great way to attend, because it was basically students-only, so no need to worry wasting insane amounts of time in lines. And overall, the vibes were great.
  - alexpotato 3mo ago
    This is an excellent used of student activity funds. In fact, a lot of colleges have a pool of money for just this kind of activity. Rutgers used some of this money to organize a paintball trip. On the way back from that trip is how the club got started which then turned into a team etc. I was one of the first officers and that's what led to me working in pro paintball several years later.
    - filoleg 3mo ago
      I am of the same opinion. Just doing the napkin math on it, it doesn't come out to be a crazy number, and the bang per buck (in terms of how much it benefits the students) was great. Another similar event that my school did was reserving GA Aquarium for students for an evening+overnight. That one was even better imo, as I love GA Aquarium a ton. And being allowed to stay overnight to sleep in your own sleeping bag right next to sharks and other animals passing you by was soothing and awesome.
- qingcharles 3mo ago
  The VIP package for Disney and Universal is worth every single penny. You get a personal guide taking you to the back door and walking you straight onto every ride. Then your lunch is already made and ready for you during the day to save even more time.

Almondsetat 4mo ago

Tourism has to be managed. Most istitutions can't, or can in a relatively limited manner. Rich people provide both the money and the reputation to allow them to have profitable private tours without risking too much. There is no real reason why a museum can't be open at 2 A.M., it's just that it's economically impossible, unless someone pays enough money. There is no real reason why a small church painted by Giotto can't be opened to the public, but managing all the people and making sure they don't damage stuff is a nightmare, unless the people entering have a verifiable reputation.

paganel 3mo ago
[flagged]
- armchairhacker 3mo ago
  I’d work a museum at 2 A.M. for enough pay and time off.
  - paganel 3mo ago
    What about your family? Are they ok with that? And we both know that the involved museum employees do "not het enough pay", this is 2026 we're talking about.
    - armchairhacker 3mo ago
      > What about your family? Are they ok with that? I'm single without kids so yes > And we both know that the involved museum employees do "not het enough pay", this is 2026 we're talking about Context from the parent comment > There is no real reason why a museum can't be open at 2 A.M., it's just that it's economically impossible, unless someone pays enough money.
- snowpid 3mo ago
  to add to the neighbour comment: Night shifts are very popular in German car factories as they give good money.

artisinal 3mo ago

Rome has always been a city for the elite. Current day Rome is more accessible than ever for the commoners. If rich people pay money for private access and part of that money ends up being used for preservation: Good.

xg15 3mo ago
They could also just tax rich people more and use that money for conservation...
- snowpid 3mo ago
  who is they? I doubt the Italian state can tax American or Singaporean rich tourists.
  - artisinal 3mo ago
    You could change tourist tax to be 5% of the room rate. That would be €5 to €10 per night for common people and €1000 per night for rich tourists.
    - harvey9 3mo ago
      How does this achieve the aim of a rich person seeing a painting that is not on public display?
- azan_ 3mo ago
  They actually can't, but even if they could - expensive private viewings are much more fair.
- deleted 3mo ago
  [deleted]
- matwood 3mo ago
  Italy's taxes are already quite high, but they do have some regimes to encourage HNW people to move there.

khurs 3mo ago

Isn't this the case globally and not just Rome? It's a business decision, if the rich person wants to pay and its more profitable than the alternative and/or may get massive press or social exposure than it may get a yes. If a mega-celebrity wants to visit the Louvre, the Louvre (and French police) don't want the headache of it getting leaked on social media and thousands of fanatical Stans turning up as a mob, so safer to arrange a private viewing. London museums as an example are routinely strategically sponsored by companies and individual with bad reputations.Example https://cultureunstained.org/2025/11/18/british-museum-drops-tobacco-sponsor-after-government-intervention-putting-pressure-on-controversial-bp-deal/ https://cultureunstained.org/2025/11/18/british-museum-drops... and Saudi Arabia has been whitewashing the killing of the journalist via bankrolling Sports.

cucumber3732842 3mo ago
It's the case the world over across every sector of the economy. Frito Lay or isn't gonna stop a line because some bearing is dying. Someone is gonna show up on Friday night and get to work.
MSkill1 3mo ago
Or maybe we just ban celebrities from going to the Louvre, period. If you've decided that you need to be popular so badly that you ruin it for other people when you go to the public places, you should be banned from public places. Be happy with your fame and stay away from us peons. That's what you wanted.
- SpicyLemonZest 3mo ago
  Museums generally have to make rich people feel welcome because they require their patronage. The Louvre used to be an exception, operating as a sole project of the French government, but they've cut back substantially over the past few decades and the new endowment fund has filled the gap.

gib444 3mo ago

Where's the line between in-depth reporting and long-form advert? The Atlantic's reader base is the exact target audience for such services

derektank 3mo ago
Presumably the line is whether or not the publisher is getting paid for the writing. The Atlantic does do branded content from time to time, but they always explicitly label it as such. I would bet a substantial sum that this article is not an advertisement.
gus_massa 3mo ago
It's time to link again the old article by pg: https://www.paulgraham.com/submarine.html https://www.paulgraham.com/submarine.html

rwmj 3mo ago

As an aside I once went on a tour of the museums of Amsterdam with an expert guide (paid for by the company I was visiting). It was fantastic! A completely different experience from being a regular tourist. I learned far more about Amsterdam and the art than I could possibly have done on my own.

al_borland 3mo ago
When I first started traveling I avoided guides, and didn’t want to be a “tourist”. Over the years I’ve gotten over that and started going on more tours, I learn so much more than I otherwise would, and get access to places that are normally off limits. It’s a much better experience.
riffraff 3mo ago
This is true with basically every place and a proper guide. I understand why people don't usually hire a person to walk then around when they're traveling solo or with their family, but if you're a mildly curious person it's a fantastic way to experience museums, archeology and nature.

collinmcnulty 3mo ago

Tangential a bit, but I grate at using “elite” as a synonym for “rich”. It adopts the framing favored by powerful people as if they have an inherent difference and aren’t just some people that society allows to have more resources. It promotes a false inevitability.

jayers 3mo ago
Well elite and rich are actually different categories. The guy down in my parents suburban neighborhood who started a carpentry business at 18 and is now 45 years old and a millionaire is in a very different category from someone who went to Harvard Law and became a partner at a massive firm in Manhattan, even if their net worth is similar. Plenty of normal folks start businesses in various industries and get rich off of it. You can make tens of millions of dollars running a restaurant chain, a trades business, manufacturing, a car repair shop, car dealership etc. But those are not elite jobs.
- collinmcnulty 3mo ago
  I would argue it’s a matter of degree, not of kind. “Private equity” is a rhetorical device to convert “I run an unglamorous business” into “I’m the kind of person who gets the private tour”. All the status stuff can be bought.

thecolorblue 3mo ago

As much as rich people can do whatever they want if they hand over enough money, it seems like these people will not be rich for long if they fork over this much money for a single day experience.