Clarity in the Raphael Rooms

When you take visitors to the Vatican Museums they are usually busy, stressful and exhausting. For most people it can also be a cultural overload and just too much to comprehend in three hours. Therefore taking a less is more approach to what you say is fundamental.

While the majority of visitors are there to see the Sistine Chapel, some of the more curious may also ask to see the Raphael Rooms. As you will be really pushed for time, the efficiency and clarity of what you say will be severely tested.

The School of Athens by Raphael is a difficult painting to describe to listeners as they can easily get lost among all of the different characters. You should also remember that most foreign visitors have never studied philosophy so they may not be familiar with Aristotle and Co. 

The Khan Academy, which is arguably the biggest learning resource in the world and is completely free, offers you one of the clearest descriptions of the School of Athens. I would certainly recommend reading it. To help you with pronunciation and the rhythm of your speech, I've also recorded an accompanying audio file (see below) for the KA's description of the famous fresco. Enjoy!