Museums of Rome - useful information, addresses and how to buy tickets. Prices for museums and entertainment in Italy

The eternal city, which makes tourists from all over the world fall in love with it, is proud of its rich cultural heritage. The Italian capital, in which the breath of history is felt like nowhere else, does not hide artistic treasures, but puts them on display to introduce guests to the past and present. It’s not for nothing that they say that no city in the world has as many museums as beautiful Rome.

Of course, it is impossible to visit all the museums in Rome in a short amount of time, so we will try to take a virtual tour of the interesting cultural sites of the city.

Little Italian Louvre

Let's start the journey with the Borghese Gallery located in the vicinity. It is considered the most desirable destination for tourists who dream of visiting the iconic museums of Rome (Italy). Owing its appearance to a greedy cardinal who adores art, the famous landmark keeps many secrets.

Cardinal Scipione Borghese, who stopped at nothing and was said to have even stolen famous paintings on his orders, thought about building a villa in the vicinity of the city. Having a good collection of sculptures and paintings, he wished to place the works of art in a beautiful building. This is how the famous gallery appeared - a worthy setting for cultural values that all travelers dream of seeing.

Unfortunately, after Borghese's death, some valuable exhibits disappeared without a trace. At the beginning of the 20th century, the museum was bought by the Italian government, and all art lovers were able to get acquainted with the unique collection of sculptures and paintings.

A treasure trove that's hard to get into

The Italian treasury has the largest collection in the world of Bernini sculptures. Now more than 500 paintings and several hundred sculptural creations are presented to the general public. Tourists are breathless with delight at the sight of the gallery itself with luxurious frescoes, mosaic floors, beautiful stucco moldings, and painted walls.

Numerous halls where unique masterpieces are stored are open to all guests of the city, but getting into them is more difficult than other institutions in Italy. The thing is that there are no tickets on sale, and only two hundred lucky people will be able to enter for two hours. True, art lovers have the opportunity to pre-book tickets online to the small Roman Louvre.

The oldest museum in the world

The next point of our journey is the Capitoline Museum in Rome, which in importance can be compared with the Hermitage. The Italian landmark, which began its history in the 15th century with a collection of antique bronzes donated by Pope Sixtus IV, delights with its magnificence. A whole complex of art galleries located on the Capitoline Hill - the symbol of the power of Ancient Rome - will help you immerse yourself in the atmosphere of art.

The oldest one is an architectural ensemble consisting of three palaces connected by underground passages and the Capitoline Square. The cultural monument of Rome is of great interest to tourists. It features archaeological finds, ancient masterpieces, collections of classical sculpture, an art gallery, a numismatic museum and an exhibition of jewelry.

Complex of four branches

Of course, no one will be able to explore the best museums in Rome in a short amount of time. But it is impossible not to visit the complex, founded at the end of the 19th century, consisting of several parts storing artifacts from ancient Roman times. The local landmark, known far beyond Italy, is famous for its richest collection, which will be appreciated by lovers of antiquity.

The National Museum of Rome, which includes four branches at different addresses, will tell about the ancient history of the city. The magnificent Massimo Palace will introduce you to an extensive collection of sculptures, sarcophagi, frescoes and tombstones.

The Baths of Diocletian, on the ruins of which the church was built, contains a collection of epigraphy, including more than 10 thousand illustrated inscriptions.

In the Balba crypt, the entire history of the development of the ancient city is presented and the archaeological finds of scientists are put on public display.

The luxurious Palazzo Altemps will attract attention with sculptures preserved from ancient times.

The most unusual museum

They are so diverse that I would like to talk about the most unusual of them, and now we are going to the church, which is located not far from the Vatican. The Gothic structure, decorated with marble sculptures of the dead, looking upward with hope, makes an ambivalent impression. The Museum of Departed Souls in Purgatory is a large collection of evidence that dead sinners give various signs to the living.

A Marseille priest has traveled all over the world, looking for evidence of the existence of an afterlife. A small collection is located inside the church and impresses visitors. Here you can see a nightgown with traces left by a deceased mother who appeared to her son. A woman who reproached her son for his riotous behavior with her fingers.

Burnt handprints of people who found themselves in Purgatory and begging for help are presented on prayer books, tabletops, and pillows. The souls of the deceased asked to pray for them and left traces so that relatives would believe them. Supernatural incidents are direct evidence that sinners are trying to atone for their guilt and move to heaven.

It is noteworthy that for many years the Vatican, which denies the place of suffering of the soul, has been advocating the closure of a museum that goes beyond the usual tourist destinations.

Museum of Macaroni (pastas)

When considering the unique museums of Rome, one cannot ignore the beautiful building, the exhibitions of which are dedicated to the product that has become a symbol of Italy. Eleven halls of the most famous attraction will tell you about the history of pasta and the secrets of its preparation. It is interesting that the national dish was invented by the Greeks, and the inhabitants of the country learned to preserve the product in solid form.

Our little journey is coming to an end. Of course, even while walking along the ancient streets of the beautiful city, you can get acquainted with the most famous monuments of the capital of Italy. However, numerous museums in Rome will give you unforgettable emotions and vivid impressions, and the fascinating stories of the guides will be remembered for a long time.

Good news - since the summer of 2014, admission to government buildings on the first Sunday of the month is free for everyone.

A visit to the city, where the breath of history is felt everywhere, cannot be complete without visiting museums that contain objects of everyday life and culture of that time. Below we have prepared for you a list of the most interesting museums in Rome, as well as their addresses and entrance ticket prices.

Our group excursions to famous museums in Rome already include a ticket in the tour price, so you don’t have to buy it yourself and stand in queues at the entrance!

Vatican Museums (Musei Vaticani)

The Vatican Museums attract a huge number of tourists. The wealth of exhibits and the exquisite architecture of the buildings allow us to place them on a par with the well-known wonders of the world. Numerous museum galleries contain rare examples of works of art, unique frescoes, papal collections, book editions, etc. In order to see them all, you will need at least five hours of time and comfortable shoes that will allow you to cover a route of several kilometers.

Address: Viale Vaticano, Roma. Ticket price: 21 euros.

National Roman Museum (Museo Nazionale Romano)

The National Museum is a complex of five branches, which includes a collection of artistic works of the ancient Romans, as well as examples of art from ancient Greece. The reason for the creation of the museum was the numerous archaeological finds that began to occur regularly since 1870, when Rome began to grow. The construction of new buildings and the laying out of streets was accompanied by the discovery of historical artifacts that needed to be placed somewhere.

The National Museum opened in 1889, in the monastery of St. Mary. Today it consists of five departments: Palazzo Massimo, Terme di Diocleziano, Aulla Ottagona, Palazzo Altemps, Cripta Balbi. A single ticket for 12-15 euros (depending on exhibitions and season) allows you to visit them all.

Palazzo Massimo Museum

This monumental building appeared in Rome in 1887, and since the early 90s of the 20th century it has housed a museum. The exhibition is based on cultural objects of Ancient Rome: sculptures (Chaste Aphrodite, Wounded Niobe, Discobolus, etc.), coins, sarcophagi and even the mummy of an eight-year-old girl of the second century BC.

Address: Largo di Villa Peretti, 1.Ticket price: 10 euros.

Museum Terme di Diocleziano

The museum is located on the territory of ancient Roman baths, which are decorated with epigraphs and sculptures. More than ten thousand epigraphs serve as the key to understanding the life of that era. To get acquainted with the exhibition, you will need the services of a guide who will explain the meaning and background of the origin of this or that epigraph.

Location: Via Enrico de Nicola, 78/44. Ticket price: 12-15 euros (four museums).

Palazzo Altemps Museum

The museum's collection contains numerous exhibits that were once kept in the private collections of wealthy Romans. The idea of collecting works of art from Ancient Rome in one place came from Cardinal Louis Ludovisi in the seventeenth century. He bought famous sculptures from the collections of aristocrats and combined them in one exhibition.

Among them there are unique masterpieces: copies of sculptures of the ancient Greeks, made by the Romans in bronze; a sculpture depicting a Gaul killing his wife and himself; relief “Birth of Venus”, etc.

Location: Piazza di Sant’Apollinare, 44. Ticket price: 12-15 euros (four museums).

Cripta Balbi Museum

The museum is housed among the remains of a theater built in the first century BC. During the time of Emperor Augustus, this theater was one of the leading ones. All museum exhibits are arranged according to the chronology of the events during which they were created.

Location: Via delle Botteghe Oscure, 31. Combined ticket price: 12-15 euros (four museums)

Capitoline Museums (Musei Capitolini)

These are the most important Roman museums, located on the Capitoline Hill, which served the ancient Romans as a place of worship of Jupiter. It is assumed that the history of museums dates back to 1471, when Pope Sistus IV gave the city the first valuable exhibits - antique bronze statues. Nowadays, museums store archaeological finds that represent masterpieces of ancient culture, including: sculptures “Capitolian Wolf”, “Boy Retrieving a Splinter”, “Dying Gaul”, a statue of Hercules, collections of emperors, etc. In the exhibition halls of museums you can see canvases by outstanding painters of different eras - Titian, Rubens, Caravaggio, etc.

Location: Piazza del Campidoglio. Ticket price: 15 euros.

National Etruscan Museum Villa Giulia

The museum building, also known as Villa Giulia, was built under Pope Julius III in 1555. Previously, the museum was known as an exhibition of masterpieces of ancient culture, but today it is the largest museum of Etruscan history in the world. The museum contains ceramics, bronze statues, coins, jewelry and other artifacts dating from the eighth to fifth centuries BC.

Location: Piazzale di Villa Giulia, 9. Ticket price: 8 euros.

Altar of Peace (Ara Pacis)

The construction of the altar was carried out during the time of Emperor Augustus in the ninth century BC. The monument was erected in honor of the Roman goddess of peace. The sculptures and ornaments of the altar are deeply symbolic, there are no minor details in them. All elements of the composition contain a certain meaning, which they are designed to convey to the viewer with the help of images and symbols.

The Altar of Peace was created by decision of the Senate of ancient Rome after Emperor Augustus returned from a successful military campaign, during which he annexed the lands of modern Spain and the Gallic regions to the Empire. The result of the military operation was the expansion of the territory of the Roman state to incredible proportions. The monument exalted the emperor's victory and the advent of a long period of peace.

Location: Lungotevere dei Mellini, 35 (corner via Tomacelli). Ticket price: 13 euros.

Along with the most famous museums in Rome, where tickets sell like hot cakes, the Eternal City also has free ones, but no less interesting. For example, the Museum of Souls in Purgatory, Napoleon, military equipment and even walls. Travelers don’t even know about the existence of many of them, but, meanwhile, visiting them can significantly add to the impressions of your trip. That is why BlogoItaliano decided to devote a separate article to them.

Villa Borghese

Take a stroll through Villa Borghese, a landscaped park located on the Pincio hill. Here, among the pines and magnolias, there are many beautiful fountains and ancient statues. There is a small lake with a cute island. Located right in the park in the Orange Greenhouse Museum of Contemporary Art Carlo Bilotti(Museo Carlo Bilotti) with a collection of paintings and sculptures, as well as a zoo, a botanical garden and several museums.

Museum of Contemporary Art Carlo Bilotti

Here, at Villa Borghese, you can visit House-Museum of Pietro Canonica(Museo Pietro Canonica), although free admission only applies to the permanent exhibition. Pietro Canonicus (1869-1959) is a famous Italian sculptor, artist and composer, who bequeathed all his works to the state.

His sculptural groups and monuments to monarchs and noble aristocrats were installed in England, Turkey, Iraq, Italy and Russia. The museum's exhibits included not only numerous original works by Canonica, but also antique furniture, Flemish tapestries and paintings by Piedmontese artists (19th century).

You can get to Villa Borghese by climbing the steps of the famous Spanish Steps or from Piazza del Popolo, following the signs.

Official website of the Carlo Bilotti Museum: museocarlobilotti.it

Official website of the Pietro Canonica Museum: museocanonica.it

Important! It is often impossible to purchase tickets at the Galleria Borghese box office on the day of your visit. Therefore, it is better to order them in advance - via the Internet. You can do this on this page.

Pantheon

Perhaps the most famous of the free attractions of Rome (although it’s hard to call it a museum, we couldn’t help but say so). Built during the reign of Emperor Augustus, it is still one of the calling cards of the capital of Italy. The famous Temple of All Gods, which later became a Christian sanctuary, is also the site of the tombs of such famous Italians as Raphael and King Victor Emmanuel II.

The Roman Pantheon was built under Emperor Augustus about 2 thousand years ago

At one time, BlogoItaliano dedicated the Pantheon, and in addition, the “Temple of All Gods” is one of the main points on ours. If you haven't watched it yet, we recommend doing so right now. The step-by-step route will allow you to cover the most important things in the Eternal City, and also contains many life hacks and useful recommendations that will save you a lot of time and help you see more than most travelers have time to do.

Address: Piazza della Rotonda.

Opening hours: daily from 9.00 to 19.00.

National Academy of St. Luke (Accademia Nazionale di San Luca)

Visit the National Academy of St. Luke, located on the square of the same name in the Palazzo Carpegna building (XVI century). Today there is an art gallery where you can see sculptures and paintings by Italian, French and Flemish masters, most of which date back to the 17th-18th centuries.

Sculptures and paintings by Italian, French and Flemish masters are collected here.

Address: Piazza dell'Academia di San Luca, 77.

Opening hours: Monday-Friday from 10.00 to 12.30

Hendrik Christian Andersen museum

Visit the house-museum of Hendrik Christian Andersen (not to be confused with the famous storyteller). Hendrik Andersen is a Norwegian sculptor, urban planner and painter who settled in Rome at the end of the 19th century and lived in the Italian capital for more than forty years. Today, in his villa, decorated in the Art Deco style, there is a museum with an interesting collection of graphics, paintings and sculptures that Andersen bequeathed to the Italian state.

Museum with an interesting collection of graphics, paintings and sculptures

Many of his works are made with obvious erotic overtones. People with a sense of humor will probably like it here, but snobs and sensitive people may feel some awkwardness when looking at the artist’s overly frank works.

Address: Via Pasquale Stanislao Mancini, 20

Opening hours: Tuesday-Friday from 9:30 to 18:30; Saturday-Sunday from 9:30 to 19:30

Museum of Souls in Purgatory (Museo delle Anime del Purgatorio)

The Museum of Souls in Purgatory will be of interest to lovers of mysticism. It is called one of the most unusual museums in Rome (and indeed in all of old Europe), and it is very popular among tourists. This strange museum is located in the sacristy of the Church of the Sacred Heart of Christ (Sacro Cuore di Gesu’ in Prati). The building of the basilica, made in the Gothic style, makes a strong impression in itself; it is often called a miniature Duomo of Milan.

The museum is located in the sacristy of the Church of the Sacred Heart of Christ, reminiscent of the Milan Duomo

All museum exhibits are original; they were collected throughout Italy over many years, many were brought from Belgium and Germany. There are more than a hundred artifacts in total, which are carefully guarded by church servants. Here you can see the imprints of soles on the floorboards, fingers and hands left by the souls of the deceased on household items, paper and fabrics. All this is interpreted as a unique way to declare oneself from the “other world” and ask the living for prayer and help.

To get to this museum in Rome, you need to contact the priest, who will always open the door and show everything that is here. And although admission to the premises is absolutely free, a small donation to the needs of the church is always welcome.

Address: Via Ulpiano, 29. Sacro Cuore di Gesu’ in Prati. Within walking distance from the Castle of St. Angela

Opening hours: daily from 9.00 to 12.30 and from 17.00 to 19.00.

Burcardo Theater Museum (Museo Teatrale del Burcardo)

Representatives of creative professions and theater lovers will enjoy visiting the Burcardo Theater Museum, open to the general public since 1932. This Roman museum contains an amazing collection of stage costumes, puppets, posters, photographs and programs of performances, portraits of Italian actors, elements of stage decorations , figurines of theatrical characters in costumes from different eras, and much more.

There is an amazing collection of stage costumes, puppets, posters, etc.

Most of the exhibits were collected by Luigi Razi (1852-1918), an actor and playwright who devoted his life to theater and the study of its history.

Address: Via del Sudario, 44. Palazzetto del Burcardo (Burcardo Palace, 15th century)

The museum is open: Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9.15 to 16.30.

Napoleon Museum (Museo Napoleonico)

Anyone who is interested in the personality of the legendary French commander and emperor has the opportunity to visit the Napoleon Museum, located in the Primoli Palace, built in the 16th century. Its exhibits, located in 13 halls, will help you learn more unknown and juicy details about the life of the Bonaparte family. The museum exhibits many personal items, portraits, documents, awards and weapons, as well as jewelry, furniture and porcelain. What is presented here is not so much the history of a famous family, but an entire era.

The Napoleon Museum presents not so much the history of a famous family as an entire era

Address: Piazza di Ponte Umberto I. Palazzo Primoli. From Piazza Navona to the museum it is only a 5-minute walk, and from the Castle of St. Angel's walk will take no more than 10 minutes.

Opening hours: Tuesday – Sunday from 10.00 to 18.00.

Museum of the Wall (Museo delle Mura)

This museum will be of interest to lovers of antiquity, because the wall built by Emperor Aurelian in 271-275. AD to protect Rome from enemy attacks, has witnessed many stories.

In ancient times, this powerful fortification with many towers, loopholes and underground corridors protected all seven Roman hills, and its length reached 19 km. Of course, over so many centuries it has had to go through more than one restoration, but the 12 km of wall that has survived to this day is a real relic. The Museum of the Aurelian Walls is located in the Gate of St. Sebastian (Porta San Sebatiano) and occupies seven rooms. The exhibits located there will tell the history of the ancient Roman wall from antiquity and the Middle Ages to the modern period.

The wall was built by Emperor Aurelian in 271-275. AD

Address: Via di Porta San Sebastiano (near the Domine Quo Vadis Basilica).

Opening hours: Tuesday-Sunday from 9.00 to 14.00.

Military History Museum of Military Equipment (Museo Storico della Motorizzazione Militare)

Connoisseurs of vintage cars will be delighted in this museum in Rome - all the achievements of Italian industry over more than a hundred years are collected here: about three hundred cars, motorcycles and about 60 units of armored vehicles.

Among the exhibits are weapons, samples of missiles and shells, uniforms, sets of field utensils, etc. And, although the main emphasis in the collection is on military vehicles (since 1903), there are also such cars as, for example, a sports car. Alfa Romeo" by Tazio Nuvolari (the first Italian crew with an internal combustion engine), transport that carried presidents, etc.

The museum contains all the achievements of Italian industry for more than a hundred years

It should be said that this museum is not quite ordinary, as it is located on the territory of a military base and is open to the public only on Saturdays. You can get to the checkpoint, where you will have to leave documents (passport or license) in exchange for a pass; a soldier will show you the way to the museum.

Address: Southern suburb of Rome - Cecinola, Viale dell'Esercito, 170.

Viale dell Eserchito, 170, Cecchignola 00143, Roma

Opening hours: Saturday from 9.00 to 12.00. You should arrive at opening time.

Free Sunday: holiday tourist balloons

Since July 2014, throughout Italy, on the first Sunday of the month, all state museums receive visitors free of charge. This rule also applies to such significant objects as the famous Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Pompeii, etc.

There is only one unpleasant nuance in this whole celebration of life - huge queues. Therefore, if you decide to visit the museum on a free Sunday, get there in advance, preferably before opening.

Long queues (albeit, of course, slightly shorter than on a free Sunday) are typical for the most popular museums in the Italian capital, regardless of the season. For this reason, BlogoItaliano several years ago compiled a list where it makes sense to buy tickets in advance.

All the museums discussed in this article, as well as other main attractions of Rome, can be found in our mobile guide to Rome for iPhone, which works even without the Internet. Be sure to watch the video below to see how this app can help you find your way around Rome. Especially if you come to the Eternal City for the first time:

By the way, if at these very moments you are planning your trip to Italy, subscribe, where we shared many useful life hacks on how to make your trip even more interesting.

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Which museums in Rome should you see first? In this article, BlogoItaliano has collected for you 7 of the most remarkable museums in Rome that are worth putting on the map of your visit to the Eternal City. Let us immediately make a reservation that general attractions [for example, or ], as well as the Vatican Museums will remain outside the scope of this article. As the title suggests, we will talk exclusively about the most interesting MUSEUMS in Rome.

National Roman Museum

At the end of the 19th century, Rome began to grow rapidly. During the construction of new buildings and roads, many historical artifacts were discovered. Valuable finds needed to be housed somewhere, and in 1889 the National Museum opened in St. Mary's Monastery.

Today, the Museo Nazionale Romano complex consists of four branches: the Massimo Palace, the Baths of Diocletian, the Balbi Crypt and the Altemps Palace, where examples of ancient Roman and ancient Greek art are kept. To visit the entire museum complex, you can purchase a single ticket, which is valid for three days.

The number of exhibits in the Palazzo Altemps exceeds several hundred

Palace Massimo

Palazzo Massimo alle Terme boasts the largest collection of ancient coins: money used by Julius Caesar himself is kept here. The numismatic exhibition is adjacent to an exhibition of Roman amber and jewelry, as well as sculptures and sarcophagi. One of the most valuable exhibits of the museum is the mummy of an 8-year-old girl, dating back to the 2nd century BC.

Baths of Diocletian

The baths were built in 298-305 and were intended for all free citizens of Rome, including the poorest. In the 14th century, two churches were built on the site of some of the halls, so the baths have survived to this day only in relative safety. Today, here you can see an extensive collection of epigraphy, which includes over 10 thousand inscriptions with illustrations.

Baths for free citizens of Rome were built in 298-305.

Balbi Crypt

Crypta Balbi is located among the ruins of a theater built in the 1st century BC. by order of the Roman commander Lucius Cornelius Balba. Archaeological finds, arranged in chronological order, introduce visitors to the evolution of the city from ancient times to the Middle Ages.

Altemps Palace

Palazzo Altemps is interesting for its rich collection of sculptures from the collections of the Ludovisi family, Mattei and others. In the 17th century, Cardinal Louis Ludovisi bought valuable exhibits from Roman aristocrats, thereby laying the foundation for a future collection. Today the number of exhibits exceeds several hundred, among them the famous sculpture of a Gaul who kills himself and his wife, the relief “Birth of Venus”, bronze Roman copies of sculptures of the ancient Greeks.

Opening hours: Mon-Sun: 9:00-19:45 (Thermal Baths of Diocletian 9:00-19:30), Museums are closed on January 1 and December 25. Museum opening hours may vary depending on the season.

Addresses:

Massimo's Palace Palazzo Massimo - largo di Villa Peretti, 1
Baths of Diocletian Terme de Diocleziano - via E. De Nicola, 79
Crypt Balbi Crypta Balbi - via delle Botteghe Oscure, 31
Palazzo Altemps - piazza di S. Apollinare, 48

Tickets: 1 ticket is valid for visiting all 4 buildings of the National Museum of Rome for 3 days: adults - 8 Euro, children - free (under 17 years old)

Borghese Gallery

They say that the founder of one of the most valuable painting collections in the world, Cardinal Scipione Borghese, valued art so much that he was ready to take any steps in order to get his hands on another masterpiece.

On his orders, valuable paintings were even stolen, not to mention how often the cardinal used his official position to confiscate or buy for next to nothing works of art that interested him.

The Gallery has the world's largest collection of works by Caravaggio and Bernini

And yet, it was thanks to Cardinal Borghese that a gallery appeared in Rome, which today houses the largest collection of works by Caravaggio and Bernini in the world, as well as numerous masterpieces by great Italian and European painters.

In total, over 500 paintings and several hundred more sculptures are presented to the public in 20 halls. The gallery itself, decorated with frescoes, mosaics and stucco, is no less delightful than the works stored in it.

An important feature of this museum in Rome is the visitor admission system: tourists are allowed into the gallery every two hours in a strictly defined number. Because of this, it is rightfully considered one of the most inaccessible museums in all of Italy, and tickets here are often sold out several days, or even weeks, before the actual date of visit.

The gallery, decorated with frescoes and stucco, is a delight in itself.

To get to the Gallery, it is recommended to purchase tickets in advance via the Internet or plan your visit as part of an organized excursion in Russian.

Opening hours: Tue-Sun: 9:00-19:00
Address: piazzale del Museo Borghese, 5

The world's oldest public museum dates back to the 15th century, when Pope Sixtus IV donated a collection of antique bronze statues from the Lateran to the city.

The world's oldest public museum dates back to the 15th century.

Today, the collection of the Capitoline Museums occupies three palace rooms and includes sculptural compositions, archaeological artifacts and jewelry of Ancient Rome.

The most famous exhibit of the Museums is the sculpture “”. Part of the collection is occupied by the Capitoline Pinacoteca with masterpieces by Rubens, Veronese, Titian, Tintoretto and other masters.

In the New Palace (Palazzo Nuovo) you can see the very sculptures of Sixtus IV that laid the foundation for the Capitoline Museums: Capitoline Venus, Cupid and Psyche, a resting satyr and many others. Unique mosaics from the villa of Emperor Hadrian are also exhibited here.

The Capitoline Wolf is the most famous exhibit of the Museums

Opening hours: Mon-Sun: 9:30-19:30, 24 and 31 December 9:30-14:00
Museums are closed: January 1, May 1 and December 25
Address: Piazza del Campidoglio, 1
Tickets: adult – 15 Euro

National Etruscan Museum

The world's largest museum of Etruscan history is located on the territory of Villa Giulia, the surviving third of the architectural complex built in 1555 for Pope Julius III.

Over several centuries, Villa Giulia managed to be a warehouse, military barracks, hospital and school, until at the end of the 19th century the building was transferred to the guardianship of the state.

The world's largest museum of Etruscan history

Among the exhibits telling about the culture of the disappeared civilization, today you can find coins and jewelry, ceramics and bronze items here. The age of some of them reaches 2600 years. A significant part of the exhibition is dedicated to the funeral cult of the Etruscans.

Opening hours: Tue-Sun: 9:00-20:00
The museum is closed on Mondays, January 1 and December 25
Address: Piazzale di Villa Giulia, 9

National Gallery of Ancient Art

The National Gallery of Ancient Art (Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica) occupies two palaces: Barberini and Corsini.

In the Barberini Palace you will find paintings by Caravaggio, Titian and El Greco. For three centuries, the palace belonged to the family of Cardinal Barberini, until they had to sell their family estate to the state.

Since then, it has housed exhibitions of the National Gallery of Art and the Officers' Collection.

In the Corsini Palace [in addition to the same Caravaggio] you can see paintings by Rubens and Bruegel. The palace itself was built in the 15th century and rebuilt in the 18th century.

In the Palazzo Corsini you can see paintings by Rubens and Bruegel

Opening hours of Palazzo Barberini: Tue-Sun: 8:30-19:00, Mon – closed, closed January 1, May 1 and December 25
Address Palazzo Barberini: via delle Quattro Fontane, 13
Opening hours of Palazzo Corsini: Wed-Mon: 8:30-19:00, Tue – closed. The museum is closed on January 1, May 1 and December 25
Address Palazzo Corsini: via della Lungara, 10

Castle Sant'Angelo

Giordano Bruno, Galileo Galilei and Benvenuto Cellini languished in a prison cell in this castle. The basements of the castle began to function as a prison under the pontiffs, who made the fortress their residence.

Until the middle of the 3rd century, the future fortress was used as a tomb; this is how it was conceived by Emperor Andrian, who ordered the construction of the mausoleum in 135.

One version of the origin of the name says that the angel was seen by the Romans walking past in a religious procession. At the height of the plague at the end of the 6th century, they saw the Archangel Michael on the roof of the castle with a drawn sword and considered this a good sign - soon the plague really subsided. The sculpture of the angel itself appeared here only in 1753.

These walls remember Galileo, Giordano Bruno and other famous prisoners

Today, the 58 rooms of the 7-level museum are located, which includes an armory, treasury, library, rooms of Pius V, a torture room and other rooms. The castle terrace serves as an excellent observation deck overlooking the ancient city.

Opening hours: Mon-Sun: 9.00-19.30
Address: Lungotevere Castello, 1
Tickets can be purchased online

MAXXI Museum

The MAXXI Museum of Art (Museo nazionale delle arti del XXI secolo), which houses the best examples of contemporary art of the 21st century, will help to dilute the impressions of immersion in the past of Rome.

The first exhibits appeared here in 2010, and since then the museum’s collection has been regularly replenished with new masterpieces from all over the world.

The appearance of this museum in Rome is no less impressive than its collection - the futuristic design was designed by the famous Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadid.

The museum contains the best examples of contemporary art of the 21st century

In addition to exhibition halls, the complex includes a research center, a library, a hall for seminars and trainings, as well as a cafe and a bookstore.

Opening hours: Tue-Fri, Sun 11:00-19:00; Sat 11:00-22:00
Address: via Guido Reni, 4/a

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And finally, a short video about the most important attractions of Rome:

Photos by: website, Ana Rey, Alexander van Loon, Daviddje, Jean-Pierre Dalbéra, Carole Raddato, Anthony Majanlahti.

1st place - Vatican Museums. .I went to the museums on my own after I toured St. Peter’s Basilica, you need to move along the fortress wall of the Vatican and soon there will be an entrance to the museums (entrance in the photo). Open in the summer from 08.45 to 16.45 on Monday and Friday, on Saturday from 08.45 to 13.45. Ticket - 14 euros. But it's worth it. It is better to come in the morning, while there are few organized groups. The line moves quickly anyway.

The museum itself is easy to navigate - you need to follow the directional arrows that will lead to the main thing - the Sistine Chapel, and on the way to it you will see all the main artifacts of the museum - a collection of paintings, a collection of ancient Roman Greek sculptures, apartments of the Popes, four Raphael halls.

Vatican Museums

Courtyard at the Vatican.

Frescoes of the Sistine Chapel by Michelangelo (early 16th century)

You can spend half a day on these museums, but for me the optimal time is 3 hours; after that, the brain is already overloaded with beauty and the inspection is useless, it’s better to come back next time, although in 3 hours you’ll see everything important.

2nd place. Borghese Gallery. The pleasure palace (pictured), founded in the 17th century by the pope's favorite nephew, houses a priceless collection of art. This is one of the world's great small museums. Open from 09.00-19.00 from Tuesday to Sunday. Tickets must be booked in advance for a specific time.

The collection includes great sculptures by Bernini - “Apollo and Daphne” and “The Rape of Proserpina”, as well as paintings by Caravaggio, Raphael, Titian and other greats.

The biggest drawback is that they do not allow photos and they strictly monitor this.

After the Galleria Borghese, you can explore the largest garden in Rome, around the palace.

3rd place - Capitoline Museums. Located in the famous square (Piazza del Campidoglio - pictured), designed by Michelangelo, the papal collections of art objects are much smaller than in the Vatican, but just as priceless.

Open from 09.00 to 20.00 from Tuesday to Sunday. Ticket 8 euros.

Capitoline Museums

4th place - National Museum of Rome with a luxurious collection of classic works of art. Located next to Termini station - 100 meters, in the palace (Palazzo Massimo alle Terme - pictured)

Open from 09.00 to 19.45. from Tuesday to Sunday. By purchasing a ticket for 12 euros, which is valid for three days, you can also visit the Baths of Diocletian, the Altemps Museum and the Balbi Crypt)

The museum contains the best ancient sculptures and mosaics of Ancient Rome.

Time for inspection: 2-3 hours

— Walls in the houses of ancient Romans

Mosaic of the ancient Romans