Top Museums And Galleries In Rome You Must Visit

Explore the best museums and galleries in Rome with our guide! Discover iconic attractions, hidden gems, and must-visit destinations for art lovers.

Why Visit Rome’s Museums And Galleries?

The history of the Roman Empire is the history of Europe and to a degree, the history of the US. The significance and the influence of the cultural artifacts that one can find around Rome can not be overstated. This heart of an ancient culture still beats today and continues to influence the world.

There is also a diversity of the treasures that you will find in Rome. In many cases, these artifacts are thousands of years old, but others are as current as yesterday. These classics include ancient Roman artifacts, Renaissance art, Baroque masterpieces and contemporary works.

One of the most surprising things that I’ve learned about myself since moving to Rome is that I actually do have an appreciation for art. Before coming here, some art, like a Caravaggio painting, was more a concept than a real painting. After seeing these up close and personal, I’ve grown to appreciate the skills, and influence, of these amazing artists.

My recommendation is to start with a visit to see your favorite artist or genre and see if the feeling grabs you, as it did me. Visiting the museums and galleries in Rome should be included in your planning, if for no other reason, to escape the summer heat or occasional rains, while still enjoying what Rome has to offer.

Navigating Rome’s Museums And Galleries

There are a few different types of museums and galleries in Rome, so you will need to decide where you would like to begin your journey. There are Archaeological museums, Art museums and galleries as well as Historical and specialty museums. I’ll be listing some of my favorites below and I hope this can get you started on your art appreciation journey here in Rome.

You will need to choose your museums based on your interests. Are you an enthusiast of the Roman Empire and its influence around Europe and the Mediterranean Sea? Are you more of an art lover and want to see paintings from the Renaissance, Baroque or Modern periods. Lastly, you will want to think about if you are travelling with children. There are some family-friendly and hands-on niche museums that might just be your favorite.

While each museum that I’ll be listing below is different, there are a couple of things to consider when planning a visit, regardless of which one. First, is the entry fee included in your Roma Pass or Omnia Vatican card? Be sure to check so you don’t pay twice.

If possible, you will want to book tickets online prior to arriving.  The crowds are huge, and especially in this Jubilee year. Also, every first Sunday of the month, public museums are free to enter. That includes most museums, except for the private, but important, Borghese Gallery.

My Favorite Museums And Galleries In Rome

There is an almost endless supply of museums in Rome and while I intend on visiting them all, I must say that this list contains MY favorites. My preferred styles of art include realism, sculptures and photography, but if you prefer modem, abstract or impressionism, maybe this list isn’t for you. 

The Borghese Gallery

The Borghese Gallery (Galleria Borghese) is an art gallery in the Villa Borghese Gardens in Rome. The building was built using sketches by Scipione Borghese, who used it as a country villa and who later became a Cardinal and the nephew of Pope Paul V.

Scipione Borghese was an early patron of GianLorenzo Bernini and he was an avid collector of paintings by Caravaggio. The collection of Caravaggio paintings in this museum include: Boy with a Basket of Fruit, St. Jerome Writing, Sick Bacchus and a few others. Other well represented artists in this museum include: Titian, Raphael and Rubens.

For more information on this museum, check out this article:The Borghese Gallery And Museum Shouldn’t Be Missed.

The Capitoline Museums (Musei Capitolini)

The origins of the Capitoline Museums are traced back to 1471 and they can be considered the first museums in history. It started when Pope Sixtus IV della Rovere gave the Roman people a group of bronze statues of great symbolic value, the She-wolf, the Spinario, the Camillus and the colossal head of Constantine. 

The collections in the museums have a close link with the city of Rome, from where most of the works come. The statues were initially placed outside and in the courtyard of the Palazzo dei Conservatori but the collection rapidly grew by subsequent acquisitions from urban excavations closely connected with the history of ancient Rome. 

The choice of location was not made without a lot of consideration. The Capitoline Hill was chosen, which housed the center of the administrative and religious life of Ancient Rome and which was also the seat of the city’s civil magistrates since the Middle Ages.

For more information on this museum, check out this article: The Capitoline Museum Highlights Are Historically Beautiful.

The Vatican Museums

While you certainly can visit the main museums in Vatican City in a day, the truth is that it is a short walk, bus or subway ride from anywhere in Rome and it will only take you part of the day to see everything.

The museums contain a huge collection of classical sculptures, tapestries and paintings by Renaissance artists like Raphael, Caravaggio, Michelangelo, Bernini, and da Vinci. The museums also have a collection of modern religious art, with works of artists like Van Gogh, Gauguin, Salvador Dalí, and Pablo Picasso.

Visiting the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel is a unique experience that must be experienced at least once in your life. The visit is a long and interesting trip that will carry you through more than twenty centuries of history and art. The Sistine Chapel, the rooms of Raphael and the art gallery (Pinacoteca) are only a small part of the larger collections.

For more information on this museum, check out this article: The Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel.

The Palazzo Altemps Museum

The National Roman Museum is not a single location, but rather a collection of several buildings spread around the city of Rome. It has a focus on the archaeological discoveries that come from the period of Ancient Rome and exhibits materials unearthed during the excavations around Rome from the period of the Kingdom of Italy.

The Palace Altemps was designed in the 15th century for Girolamo Riario, who was related to Pope Sixtus IV. When the Riario family fell on hard times, the Palazzo was sold to Cardinal Soderini and when the Soderini also fell on hard times, the palace was sold to an Austrian Cardinal Altemps, who was the son of the sister of Pope Pius IV. 

The Palazzo became property of the Papacy in the 19th century and eventually it became the property of the Italian state in 1982. After 15 years of restoration work, it was opened as a museum.

For more information on this museum, check out this article: The Palazzo Altemps Museum Collection Of Sculptures Is Great.

Some More Unique Museums In Rome

The Bone Church

The Bone Church in Rome, Italy, also known as the Capuchin Crypt and Museum, is a cemetery and crypt of the Capuchin order that is not for the faint of heart. After enjoying the museum artifacts and artwork, there are five separate and distinct crypts in the catacomb complex. They are:

• The Crypt of the Three Skeletons
• The Crypt of the Leg Bones and Thigh Bones
• The Crypt of the Pelvises
• The Crypt of the Skulls
• The Crypt of the Resurrection

For more information on this museum, check out this article: “The Bone Church in Rome, Italy.“

The Centrale Montemartini Museum

The Centrale Montemartini is a unique Rome museum unlike any other that you have seen in Italy and their unique art collection needs to be appreciated. This Italian museum is one of the most unique exhibits I have seen and it has become my new favorite Rome museum. 

The uniqueness is because of where the museum is housed, which is in a thermoelectric power plant that was converted into a museum. This art gallery exhibits sculptures, mosaics, and archaeological artifacts from the Roman era, which belong to the Capitoline Museum but were moved into this space.

For more information on this museum, check out this article: “The Centrale Montemartini Museum Is A Great Art Collection In Rome.“

The Rome Historical Museum of the Liberation

The Rome Historical Museum of the Liberation is a great resource to remember the horrors of the past with lessons that need to be understood, especially today. The Museum of the Liberation of Rome, located in the heart of the Italian capital on via Tasso, is a powerful reminder of the city’s turbulent past and the struggle against fascism.

The museum is dedicated to the memory of those who fought for the liberation of Rome during World War II and it serves as an amazing educational resource for future generations.

For more information on this museum, check out this article: The Rome Historical Museum Of The Liberation Helps Never Forget.

The Video Game Museum

The Video Game Museum in Rome is perfect for children and adults alike. This unique museum located near Termini Station has something for the entire family. If you are traveling to Rome with children, or if you are someone who has enjoyed video games yourself, then the Game Museum known as GAMM is a perfect stop. It is a journey through the history of computer games, video game consoles and even virtual reality games.

For more information on this museum, check out this article: The Video Game Museum In Rome: The Essential Guide.

The Museum Of Zoology

The Museum Of Zoology in Rome, known as il Museo Civico di Zoologia, is an amazon natural history museum with specimens going back hundreds of years. It is located just inside Borghese Gardens with an entrance outside of the park. 

It can be confusing for a first time visitor who is looking for the Rome zoo because on a map they are right next to each other, but they are very different exhibits. One, the zoo, has an entrance within the walls of the Borghese Gardens, and the second, the museum, is entered outside the gardens on via Ulisse Aldrovandi, 18.

For more information on this museum, check out this article: The Museum Of Zoology In Rome Is Alive With Natural History.

Other Noteworthy Museums And Galleries In Rome

Click on the links to see more information about each museum.

• Is The Ara Pacis Augustae Museum In Rome Worth Visiting?
• The Canova Tadolini Cafe Is A Beautiful Place For Espresso.
• The Museo Della Forma Urbis Is Rome’s Newest Site To Visit.

FAQs About Museums In Rome

To help you with your vacation planning, here are some of the most frequently asked questions about the museums and galleries in Rome. 

What Is The Most Visited Museum In Rome?

I don’t consider an archaeological site to be a museum, but I can admit in some abstract way that I understand why some think it is. The Vatican museums had around 6.8 million visitors last year. This puts it as the most visited in Rome and second in the world to the Louvre in Paris.

What Is The Number 1 Must See In Rome?

This is subjective and really dependent on your tastes, but I would say that the Borghese Gallery is at the top of my list. Again, it is biased because I love sculptures (by Bernini) and Caravaggio paintings which are in abundance there.

What Is The Most Famous Art Museum In Rome?

Many people consider the Borghese Gallery to be the most famous in Rome, but that is a tougher call that it would seem. The Vatican Museums are incredibly popular and it seems like everyone makes a visit to the Capitoline Museums.

What Are The Top Free Museums In Rome?

None of the museums I’ve included here are free. To get the quality, range and depth of art you will enjoy, a fee is almost a requirement. That said, on the first Sunday of every month, public museums are free. To my knowledge, that wouldn’t include the Borghese Gallery and GAMM.

Are Guided Tours Worth It?

I believe guided tours are worth the price. The best case scenario is that you have  a human tour guide that is knowledgeable and speaks your mother tongue. We’ve had good luck with tour guides here in Rome and I highly recommend it. If they aren’t available, then an audio guide or tour book can meet the need.

How Long Should You Allocate To Each Museum?

The time you will need to fully see the museum varies by museum. It can be as short as an hour to as long as 4 hours for the Vatican Museums. For me, 4 hours is a long time and I definitely would hit the wall, so I usually plan on a maximum of 2 hours, if it is possible to configure your visit this way.

Are There Family-Friendly Museums In Rome?

The Bone Church will probably hold their attention, but you might want to be careful about the nightmares. These are a real possibility.

What Is The Dress Code For Museums, Especially The Vatican?

Except for the Vatican, I can say that any of the museums I’ve included have much of a care about how you are dressed. They might check or store a backpack, so avoiding bringing one of those is a good idea. Other than that, don’t worry about it.

The Vatican Museums do have a little higher dress code. I believe it is the same as seeing the Basilic, which is: shoulders and knees covered, no shorts and no hats. It might seem odd for a museum, but keep in mind that the last stop in the museum is the Sistine Chapel.

Wrapping Up Your Visit To The Museums And Galleries In Rome

The importance of the Roman museums and galleries can not be overstated, and I hope I have been able to convince you that at least one visit needs to be a part of your vacation plans. Use this guide to help plan your vacation, explore your interests and make the most of your visit to Rome. For more information, check out some of these supporting articles: 

• The Borghese Gallery And Museum Shouldn’t Be Missed.
• The Capitoline Museum Highlights Are Historically Beautiful.
• The Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel.
• The Palazzo Altemps Museum Collection Of Sculptures Is Great.
• Is The Ara Pacis Augustae Museum In Rome Worth Visiting?
• The Centrale Montemartini Museum Is A Great Art Collection In Rome.
• The Video Game Museum In Rome: The Essential Guide.
• The Rome Historical Museum Of The Liberation Helps Never Forget.
• The Museum Of Zoology In Rome Is Alive With Natural History.
• The Canova Tadolini Cafe Is A Beautiful Place For Espresso.
• The Museo Della Forma Urbis Is Rome’s Newest Site To Visit.
• The Bone Church in Rome, Italy.