12 museums to visit in Rome

What are the most important museums to visit in Rome? Here is our selection of the 12 museums to be discovered in the Italian capital.

Rome is an almost unmissable destination when you love history, cultural and architectural heritage. It is an incredibly rich city. Its 900 churches, 2000 fountains and 46 museums testify. Not counting open-air museums like Forum or Colosseum . It would be necessary to make several trips to discover them all. To help you make your choice, here is our selection of the 12 must-see museums to visit in Rome.

1. Borghese Gallery

The Borghese Gallery is a public museum located in the park of the eponymous Villa. The collection was brought together by the Borghese family from the 17th century until the beginning of the 20th century. On the program, statues and paintings. It is undoubtedly a must-see museum to visit in Rome. You can admire several works by Caravaggio and Bernin, whose initiator of this collection appreciated the work.

It is one of the most popular museums in Rome: so think about booking your entry in advance to be sure if you can visit it. In addition, the Borghese Gallery is one of the many places of interest included in the Roma Pass . Thus, it can be useful to opt for this map combining several landmarks of the city.

2. Museums of the Capitol

The Capitole Museums are two, grouped around the Capitole Square. They are composed of the Palais Neuf and the Conservative Palace, which was added to the Clementino Caffarelli Palace in 2000. Museums focus on arts and architecture. They were created in 1471 by Pope Sixte IV, who wishes to return four bronze statues to the Roman people. These are the oldest museums in the world. The successive popes make regular donations to these museums. At the same time, he also undertook to enrich his collection.

You can admire works by iconic artists such as Titian, Caravaggio and Rubens. Do you know the statue of the Capitoline Wolf, the very symbol of Rome? It is at the Conservative Palace. It is impossible not to discover these must-see museums to visit in Rome.

3. Vatican Museums

The Vatican Museums are twelve. They represent nearly 7 kilometers of galleries, in which one of the most important collections of art works in the world is exhibited. These are the documents that the popes have been given throughout the centuries. The institution of the Vatican Museums took over in the nineteenth century. You can't miss these must-see museums to visit in Rome. In addition, some works are exhibited in the Vatican Palace. This is the opportunity to admire the Sistine Chapel.

They are very vulnerable to tourists. Even if this leads to a little extra cost, the ideal remains to buy your cut-file tickets on the Internet. You will be able to avoid long hours of waiting and go to the assigned office to get your final entry.

4. The National Modern Art Gallery of Rome (or GNAM)

This museum consists of nearly 500 works, whether paintings or sculptures, from the 19th to the 20th century. Whether it’s abstract art, cubist, Dada, impressionist, futuristic: you can discover a wide variety of styles and times. This is indeed one of the most important museums to visit in Rome. The gallery includes works by renowned artists, such as:

• Paul Cézanne ;
• Claude Monnet ;
• or Vincent Van Gogh.

However, the rest of the collection consists mainly of Italian artists from the second part of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century.

5. MAXXI

This is the National Art Museum of the 21st Century. This is one of the most recent museums in Rome. Indeed, it was only in 2010 that the museum opened its doors. If you want to change a bit of museum style, it is all indicated. The building itself was called for applications and was entrusted to the architect Zaha Hadid . She also received a prize for her realization. You can admire three types of collections: plastic art (MAXXI Art), architectural art (MAXXI Architecture) and photography. In addition to exhibitions, workshops, conferences and studies are organized.

6. Château Saint-Ange

The Château Saint-Ange is an emblematic monument of Rome. He was also the place of filming various films. The castle has still been on foot since the 130s and has been on our way. He first served as a mausoleum, prison, castle and palace. He has experienced different or less important developments to meet all these functions.

By visiting it, you can admire various art objects, including the famous statue of the archangel Michelangelo that adorns the building. To visit the Château Saint-Ange is to make a 2000 year gift in the history of Rome. This is what makes it one of the most important museums to visit in Rome.

7. The Roman National Museum

This museum is much less known than its colytes. He deserves to be one of the most important museums to visit in Rome. By devoting him two good hours, you can admire beautifully preserved mosaics, statues and other works dating from the Roman era.

The museum consists of four buildings: the Diocletian Baths, the Massimo Palace, the Altemps Palace and the Balbi Crypte. You can discover the Discobole (the man in the disc) which is a famous statue, and the underground Nymphe of the villa Livia. It is a garden fresco, painted in the underground cavity of a villa. It was transported to the Museum to promote its conservation conditions.

8. Villa Farnesina

The villa was born in the 16th century. Although it is not a large building in size, it is not less very rich and deserves to be among the must-see museums to visit in Rome. Its interior decorations are particularly neat. You can admire the frescoes of Sebastiano del Piombo, Peruzzi or Raphaël. One of the greatest works of the latter is visible in the Galatian Hall. If you have visited the Vatican the previous days, think about presenting your tickets to benefit from a discount.

Finally, enjoy your presence here and then visit all the Trastevere district .

9. Imperial Forum Museum

The Imperial Forum Museum is divided into five sessions. Each session focuses on a particular forum. Here’s the list:

• The forum of Caesar;
• The Temple of Peace;
• The Forum of Auguste;
• The forum of Nerva;
• And finally the forum of Trajan.

Its unique approach is particularly suitable for families: it is a journey that integrates the archaeological remains and an introduction to these different elements. Children can walk in space, making the discovery very playful. The site also offers a wonderful view of the forums.

10. Villa Medicis

The Villa Medici is famous as a place to welcome young artists. These can give life to their creative projects. She is also the seat of the French Academy in Rome.

The part dedicated to the museum allows you to admire a collection of works of art. She visits only on a guided tour. Different circuits are offered, depending on the theme you want to discover:

• The historic visit: for the artistic, architectural and historical side.
• The archaeological route: it highlights some original architectural aspects.
• The path of the Little Explorers to the Villa Medici: It is intended for families.
• The visit The secret places of creation: It is intended for creatives for an artistic approach.

11. Cinecittà

Do you have enough antiques? In this case, Cinecittà is the place you need. It is the cinema studios of Rome, founded in 1937. For the anecdote, it is Benito Mussolini himself who inaugurates the studios.

Cinecittà has been open to the public since 2011. You will thus be able to discover the cinema trays as well as an exhibition that explains how a film is designed from beginning to end. The trays are the subject of a guided tour.

The exhibition is free. It is in the historic buildings and explanatory panels accompany you throughout the course.

12. Montemartini

To finish the must-see museums in Rome, the Montemartini Museum is original. It is an old thermal power plant built in the early twentieth century. Dedicated for several years, it was chosen as a temporary exhibition space to accommodate several pieces from the Capitole Museum in 1997. The mix between industrial appearance and antique works of art is unpublished and interesting.

Also, the city of Rome finally decided to make Montemartini a permanent exhibition site.

You now know the museums in Rome that you must not miss. Therefore, you can plan your visits in advance, something useful when visiting Rome. Buon viaggio e a presto!