To say the least, Rome itself is a piece of art. An Alfresco museum. After countless scoops of gelatos, a stroll past the Spanish steps and pizza hunting through the piazzas, if you feel Rome can’t get any better, you clearly haven’t visited the museums in Rome. No matter what you’ve visited Rome for, a trip to its museums never gets old.
Rome has a museum in every direction, so here we pick the best in the museums to visit in Rome — from Galleria Borghese to the Museum of Contemporary Art of Rome.
Best museums to visit in Rome
1. Galleria Borghese
Galleria Borghese or Villa Borghese features well-preserved pieces of art from the fifteenth to the eighteenth century in a tiny, impressive, chateau-like building. With artefacts that once baffled anthropologists on the inside and a complementing recreational park on the outside, Galleria Borghese will remain your favourite Roman pastime inside out.
Timings: Tuesday to Sunday 8:30 am – 7:30 pm, closed on Sundays
Location: Piazzale Scipione Borghese, 5, 00197 Roma RM, Italy
2. Capitoline Museum
Pope Sixtus IV founded this famous cultural research centre 549 years ago — in 1471. Capitoline Museum has intriguing stories above and beneath, do yourself a favour by visiting this with a guide who can explain the fascinating details behind the world’s first ever museum to be opened to the public.
Timings: Tuesday to Sunday 9 am to 8 pm, Closed on Mondays, Christmas, 1st January and 1st May.
Location: Piazza del Campidoglio, 1, 00186 Roma RM, Italy
3. Palazzo Altemps
Marco Sittico Altemps did a huge favour to the art-lovers of the world by commissioning to renovate the National Roman Museum which underwent the impact of changing reigns post its construction in the 15th century. Though home to many important pieces of art and culture, Palazzo Altemps aka Natural museum of Rome is especially famous for its Greek and Roman sculptures that tell stories through their placements.
Timings: Tuesday – Sunday: 9 am – 7:45 pm, Closed on Mondays
Location: Piazza di Sant’Apollinare, 46, 00186 Roma RM, Italy
Also Read: Historical Places in Rome
4. Vatican Museums
With a mammoth collection of art from the seventeenth eighteenth century collected and granted by the popes, the Vatican museums have developed as one the most-visited attractions in Rome. Pope Julius II back in the fifteenth century gave his private collection of artefacts to lay the foundation for this museum and the tradition has continued over the years.
Timings: Monday – Saturday: 9 am – 4 pm, Closed on Sundays except for the last Sunday in a month
Location: 00120 Vatican City
5. Scuderie del Quirinale
What’s equally fascinating as this age-old heritage museum is the place where it is founded at, Palazzo del Quirinale, which still carries the old school medieval vibes of Rome. When we say old school, picture carriage houses and horse carts from the golden age. Also, watch out for the monthly cultural events, they are well worth your time!
Timings: Sunday to Thursday: 10:00 am – 08:00 pm
Location: Via Ventiquattro Maggio, 16, 00186 Roma RM, Italy
Inspired to take an art-inspired tour around Rome? Check out the best Rome packages and book your vacation.
Also Read: How to Get Roma Pass
