No matter if you are a first-time visitor or a connoisseur of Roman cultural heritage, there are a myriad of amazing museums in Rome that are suitable for every taste. Fondly known as an open-air museum, the city of Rome has an intriguing past, which is preserved perfectly in its various museums. Starting from Renaissance and Baroque style architectural elements to ancient Roman paintings, sculptures, and artefacts, the museums of the city are packed with all kinds of treasures from the bygone times.
While the most important Rome museum, Capitoline Museums happens to be the world’s first public art museum, Borghese Gallery and Museum is the exclusive collection of the renowned Italian art collector Cardinal Scipione Borghese. One of the best museums in Rome, Doria Pamphilj Gallery is considered to be one of Italy’s largest fine art collections, while the National Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art displays not only Italian, but also spectacular international artworks.
People Also Ask About Museums in Rome
-
What are the best museums in Rome?
1. Capitoline Museums: Lying in the centre of the city and showcasing an extensive collection of impressive Romanesque sculptures and paintings, the Capitoline Museums are one of the most important museums in Rome. Dating back to the year 1471 and known as the oldest Rome Museum, this museum is home to objects that are closely associated with Rome with most of them being native. Some of the important monumental statues that you must see here include the statue of Emperor Constantine, the statue of Marcus Aurelius, and the she-wolf suckling the twins Romulus and Remus.
Location: Piazza del Campidoglio, 1, 00186 Roma RM, Italy
Timing: Daily from 9:30 AM to 7:30 PM
2. Borghese Gallery and Museum: One of the most-loved Museums in Rome, Borghese Gallery and Museum is known to house many of the Borghese Collection of antiquities, sculptures, and paintings that was started by the renowned art collector Cardinal Scipione Borghese. Some of the important collection of paintings include Boy with a Basket of Fruit, St Jerome Writing, and Sick Bacchus. You can also find impressive masterpieces by iconic artists like Raphael, Titian, Federico Barocci, and Peter Paul Rubens. You can also see some breathtaking sculptures including Apollo and Daphne by Bernini and Pauline Bonaparte by Antonio Canova.
Location: Piazzale Scipione Borghese, 5, 00197 Roma RM, Italy
Timing: 9 AM to 7 PM, closed on Monday
3. Palazzo Massimo alle Terme: Spread across a total of 4 floors and home to a spectacular collection of ancient Roman artefacts and artworks, Palazzo Massimo alle Terme is one of the best museums in Rome. The huge collection of coins, frescos, mosaics, and sculptures in the museum belong to the period between the late Roman Republic to late antiquity. The sculptures displayed here showcase many iconic personalities, such as Alexander the Great, Augustus, Hadrian, and Socrates.
Location: Largo di Villa Peretti, 2, 00185 Roma RM, Italy
Timing: 11 AM to 6 PM, closed on Monday
3. Vatican Museums: Established in the early 16th century and known as the most visited Rome museum, the Vatican Museums are home to around 70,000 artworks, out of which around 20,000 works are exhibited for the public. You can find impressive paintings, tapestries, and sculptures by renowned artists like Michelangelo, Bernini, da Vinci, Raphael, and Caravaggio, exhibited in 54 galleries. You can also see an extensive collection of Modern religious artworks by legendary artists like Van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, Gauguin, Salvador Dalí, and Carlo Carrà.
Location: 00120 Vatican City
Timing: Monday to Thursday - 8.30 AM to 6.30 PM; Friday & Saturday - 8.30 AM to 10.30 PM; Closed on Sunday
4. Doria Pamphilj Gallery: Located in the Doria-Pamphilj Palace and packed with a huge collection of stunning Baroque and Renaissance sculptures and paintings, Doria Pamphilj Gallery is considered to be one of Italy’s largest fine art collections. This splendid Rome museum exhibits masterpieces by iconic artists of all times including Raphael, Caravaggio, Annibale Carracci, Lorenzo Lotto, Titian, Hans Memling, Jan Brueghel the Elder, Guido Reni, and Lorenzo Bernini. Some of the important artworks that can be seen here are Portrait of Pope Innocent X by Diego Velázquez and Double portrait by Raphael.
Location: Via del Corso, 305, 00186 Roma RM, Italy
Timing: Monday to Thursday - 9 AM to 7 PM; Friday, Saturday & Sunday - 9 AM to 8 PM
5. Museo Nazionale Romano, Palazzo Altemps: Dating to the 15th century, Palazzo Altemps is home to one of the most famous museums in Rome, Museo Nazionale Romano, which is home to an extensive collection of impressive classical sculptures. Most of the objects exhibited in this museum come from the renowned Ludovisi collection, which was created by Cardinal Ludovico Ludovisi himself in the 17th century. Some of the most celebrated exhibits at Museo Nazionale Romano include the Trono Ludovisi, the Galata suicida, and the Ares Ludovisi.
Location: Piazza di Sant'Apollinare, 46, 00186 Roma RM, Italy
Timing: 11 AM to 6 PM, closed on Monday
6. National Etruscan Museum of Villa Giulia: Housed in Villa Giulia, built for and named after Pope Julius III, the National Etruscan Museum dates back to the Etruscan civilization. This beautiful Rome museum was established back in 1889 with the intention to build a collection of all the pre-Roman antiquities belonging to the Etruscan and Faliscan civilizations and spread across the regions of Umbria, southern Etruria, and Latium. Some of the important treasures of the museum include The Etruscan-Phoenician Pyrgi Tablets, The Tita Vendia vase, Phoenician metal bowls, and The Cista Ficoroni.
Location: Piazzale di Villa Giulia 9, 00196 Roma RM, Italy
Timing: 8.30 AM to 7.30 PM, closed on Monday
7. National Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art: Established back in 1883 under the then Minister Guido Baccelli, National Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art is one of the best museums in Rome to explore contemporary and modern art. This enormous museum is home to an extensive collection of sculptures and paintings, belonging to the 19th and 20th centuries. The museum houses masterpieces by renowned Italian artists like Vittorio Matteo Corcos, Giorgio Morandi, Giacomo Balla, Umberto Boccioni, Alberto Burri, Antonio Canova, and Lucio Fontana. It also has works by foreign artists including Van Gogh, Kandinsky, Mondrian, Monet, and Jackson Pollock.
Location: Viale delle Belle Arti, 131, 00197 Roma RM, Italy
Timing: 9 AM to 7 PM, closed on Monday
8. Centrale Montemartini: Dating back to the early 20th century, the Centrale Montemartini happens to be an archaeology Rome museum that is aimed at collecting classical sculptures. The huge exhibition gallery of this museum is divided into 4 rooms, namely the Hall of Columns, the Hall of the Machines, the Boiler Room, and the Atrium with each room featuring a different theme. Some of the prime exhibits of this museum include a bronze statue of the Empress Agrippina the Younger, A marble statue of the goddess Athena, and the Roman copy of a Greek statue.
Location: Via Ostiense, 106, 00154 Roma RM, Italy
Timing: 9 AM to 7 PM, closed on Monday
9. National Museum of Rome - Baths of Diocletian: The Baths of Diocletian happen to be one of the most unique museums in Rome and an ancient monumental complex that was restored in the 16th century by Michelangelo. Established by Emperor Diocletian in the early 4th century AD, these baths spread across a vast area of a whopping 13 hectares and had the capacity to accommodate around 3,000 people at one time. At present the Baths of Diocletian host many important temporary exhibitions with the permanent one housing around 400 sculptural objects including altarpieces, statues, decorative elements, and sarcophagi.
Location: Viale Enrico de Nicola, 78, 00185 Roma RM, Italy
Timing: 11 AM to 6 PM, closed on Monday -
Which is Rome’s biggest museum?
The Capitoline Museums are considered to be the biggest of all museums in Rome. Dating back to the year 1471, this museum is also known as the oldest museum of the world.
-
How long does it take to go around the Vatican Museums?
It generally takes around 3 to 4 hours to go around the Vatican museums in Rome. On your tour through this extensive museum, you can explore around 20,000 artworks, including impressive paintings, tapestries, and sculptures by renowned artists like Michelangelo, Bernini, da Vinci, Raphael, and Caravaggio.
-
How many museums are there in Rome?
There are a total of 83 museums in Rome. Some of the most popular and frequently visited ones include the Capitoline Museums, the Vatican Museums, Borghese Gallery and Museum, National Etruscan Museum of Villa Giulia, Doria Pamphilj Gallery, and Palazzo Massimo alle Terme.
-
Are the Rome museums worth visiting?
Yes, the museums in Rome are totally worth visiting, thanks to their impressive display of Baroque and Renaissance style sculptures, contemporary and traditional artworks, and ancient artefacts.
-
How to reach Rome?
1. By Air: Rome has two international airports namely Leonardo da Vinci in Fiumicino and Ciampino, which connect it to the major cities across the world.
2. By Rail: The main railway station of Rome is Roma Termini, which connects it to all the major cities in Italy and Europe. -
What is the best time to visit Rome?
The best time to visit Rome is during the summer season, between the months of June and September, when the weather is warm and the sky is clear. This is the perfect time to walk around the city and explore the best museums in Rome and other iconic landmarks.
-
What are the best attractions in Italy that you can book via Thrillophilia?
The following are the best activities and attractions in Italy that you can book via Thrillophilia:
- 6D/5N
- 15D/14N
- 4H
- 3H
Rome Top Attractions
Places To Visit In Rome
Although the city of Rome is dotted with many catholic sites, the Capuchin crypt is one of the most impressive and unique sites because it is entirely made out of bones. The bones and skulls of more than 4,000 capuchin individuals are arranged in a decorative manner, which is both spooky and impressive at the same time. The museum dedicated to the Capuchins and their missions around the globe provides a deep insight into their lives through different artefacts like manuscripts, vestments and reliquaries. Several paintings are also on display here, including the ‘St Francis in Meditation’ which was a work of the ‘Old Master Caravaggio’. The crypt is the main attraction here which is further divided into six different sections. The rooms are very dimly lit, taking the spooky factor a notch above. In one room, one can also find two severed mummified arms cross one another and upon closer inspection, one can notice that it forms Capuchin’s coat of arms. The Capuchins earned their names because of a hooded cap that they used to wear, apart from socks and a tunic. These figures are also placed inside the crypt to let people know how the Capuchins used to look back in the day.Also Checkout: Rome Nightlife
Palazzo Massimo Alle Terme or the Palazzo Massimo is a popular tourist attraction and a great place to explore the authentic history of the beautiful city of Rome. Filled with several artifacts and objects, each floor at this museum is dedicated to a specific part of the history of Rome, making it an ideal place to visit for all history and architecture buffs. Moreover, since the Palazzo Massimo is one of the four parts of the National Roman museum, it is recommended to visit the other three structures, namely, the baths of Diocletian, the Palazzo Altemps, the Palazzo Altemps, and the Crypta Balbi. Home to the rare and best classical art collections in Rome, wonderful antiquities are located on each floor of the Palazzo Massimo. One of the most famous attractions here includes the mosaics, dating back to the second and the fourth century AD, and the frescoes from the ancient Roman period, making up for a rare and extravagant collection of documented proof of ancient domestic life in Rome. Other notable attractions to explore in the Palazzo Massimo Alle Terme are the statues and sculptures, belonging to the ancient Roman and Greek periods, adorned with beautiful sarcophagi. Some other famous nearby places to explore include the Santa Maria Degli Angeli e dei Martiri, Piazza Della Repubblica, Baths of Diocletian, Rome Termini Railway station, and the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore. Also Checkout a Detailed Guide to Visit: Rome Monuments
Musei di Villa Torlonia, a collection of magnificent museums, comprises restored 19th-century villas packed with a great collection of artworks and the private possessions of Rome's nobility. The magnificent structures (Casino Nobile, Casina Delle Civette, Casino dei Principi, the Serra Moresca), ornate interiors, and the original English landscape garden give them a unique charm, making them a popular attraction in Rome. The Casino Nobile is filled with a plethora of ornamental pieces created by the most well-known artists of the time, including Bertel, Francesco, and Luigi Fioroni. It is a remarkable illustration of wealth and magnificence that reflects the artistic culture of the period. It houses the Museum of the Villa in the first- and second-floor rooms, while the false Etruscan tomb and renovated bunkers are displayed in the basement. The second floor also houses the Museum of the Roman School and exhibits a valuable collection of paintings, sculptures, and drawings. The Casina delle Civette is devoted to artistic stained glass, the Casino dei Principi stores the archives and stages temporary exhibitions, and the Serra is a marvel of polychrome glass, iron, and cast iron. A trip to the museum complex transports you back in time while winding through a historical beautifully landscaped garden and leaves you spellbound.Read More: Things To Do In Florence
More Rome Attractions
Rome Travel Guides
More on Rome Tourism
Popular Museums Destinations
