The Spectacular Capitoline Museums in Rome for History Buffs
While all of Rome is technically an outdoor museum, the city is home to several impressive museums with extensive art collections. One of the largest and most memorable is the Capitoline Museums of Rome, a complex on top of the Capitoline Hill in the heart of the city. If you’re a museum lover like me or simply want to learn more about the history of Rome, this is the place to visit.
The Capitoline Museums, or Musei Capitolini in Italian, is a single museum dedicated to preserving the memory of Ancient Rome. It is one of the world’s oldest public museums and home to the city’s finest collections of Roman sculptures. Like many other museums, this one is housed in two separate buildings that are works of art in themselves.
Where are the Capitoline Museums?
The Capitoline Museums are located on the Piazza del Campidoglio, on top of the Capitoline Hill, just south of Piazza Venezia. The complex is behind the iconic white monument dedicated to Vittorio Emanuele II.
The simplest way to access the Capitoline Museums is by climbing the massive steps designed by Michelangelo Buonarroti (yes, the Michaelangelo). The steps, known as Cordonata, are accessible from Via del Teatro di Marcello. They lead past the enormous statues of Castor and Pollux to the Piazza Campidoglio, which is flanked by two 16th-century buildings along the side of the square.
The origins of the Capitoline Museums
In 1471, Pope Sixtus IV donated a group of bronze statues to the people of Rome. These statues formed the core of the collection and laid the foundation for the creation of the Capitoline Museums. Subsequent pontiffs added additional works, expanding the collection with art history, paintings, and sculptures.
In 1734, Pope Clement XII declared the museum open to everyone, making this the first museum open to the public. Many items housed here were moved from the Vatican Museums over time, while others were purchased specifically for the museum. Archaeological finds in later centuries were added to expand the collection.
Today, there is a new exhibition about the Capitol’s pre-Roman days. In addition to several Etruscan artifacts and tombs, there are renderings of what the Palatine Hill and other hills of Rome looked like in the Iron Age and during the Archaic period. I recommend you visit it as it’s fascinating.
Collections and exhibits
The Capitoline Museums are housed in two main buildings around the piazza, the Palazzo dei Conservatori and the Palazzo Nuovo. The two buildings face each other over the replica of the equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius and are linked by an underground gallery known as the Galleria Lapidaria.
The extensive museums’ collections include ancient classical sculptures and a collection of important ancient bronzes. Some of the most important works on display include Renaissance art, frescoes, and pieces from masters such as Caravaggio, Van Dyck, Rubens, Titian and Tintoretto. The art gallery frequently houses temporary exhibitions, conferences and concerts.
Palazzo Senatorio
The Palazzo Senatorio was built during the 13th and 14th centuries. It sits on what used to be the Roman Tabularium, which once housed the archives of Ancient Rome. Michelangelo designed its Renaissance façade and double staircases. During the 18th century, it was converted into a residence for Senator Abbondio Rezzonico. Today, it serves as the city hall for the municipality of Rome.
Although Palazzo Senatorio is not part of the Capitoline Museums, the tunnel connecting the two other buildings runs under it. The Galleria Lapidaria leads to the ancient Tabularium and offers a breathtaking panoramic view of the Roman Forum.
Palazzo dei Conservatori
The Palazzo dei Conservatori was built on top of a sixth-century temple of Jupiter during the Middle Ages. It housed offices of various guilds, and many trade disputes were negotiated here. Michelangelo’s 1530 renovation included the addition of columns, a new portico and an updated façade. The palazzo was also used as the city market until the late 17th century.
The ticket office and the main entrance to the Capitoline Museums is through the Palazzo dei Conservatori. The courtyard of the building features fragments of the Colossus of Emperor Constantine. This building houses some of the museum’s greatest works, including the famous Lupa Capitolina (Capitoline She-Wolf), the original 160 AD bronze statue of Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius on horseback, the Dying Gaul, and the lo Spinario (Boy with a Thorn).
The painting gallery on the upper floor contains artworks from the 16th and 17th centuries, including two of Caravaggio’s masterpieces. Art lovers will recognize the Ventura (The Fortune Teller, 1595) of a gypsy stealing a man’s ring while pretending to read his fortune, and San Giovanni Battista (St John the Baptist, 1602), a depiction of the youthful saint in the nude with a ram.
Palazzo Nuovo
The Palazzo Nuovo (New Palace), built in the 17th century, is a mirror image of the Palazzo dei Conservatori. It was completed a century later, between 1603 and 1650s, by Girolamo and Carlo Rainaldi. Here, you’ll find an impressive collection of Greek and Roman busts, including the Great Hall of the Philosophers, which displays busts of Roman philosophers and thinkers. The courtyard features a spectacular fountain of a reclining statue of the River god Marforio.
Also worth noting is the fragment of a Tabula Illiaca from around 245 BC. It came from the ancient Library of Alexandria and was used by scholars to calculate the days of the Iliad by Homer. Also of note are the statue of Pope Urban VIII and the Capitoline Venus, a beautiful Roman sculpture inspired by Greek originals.
Underground Galleria Lapidaria
The Galleria Lapidaria, the Underground Gallery, links the Palazzo dei Conservatori and the Palazzo Nuovo was built in the late 1930s. It lies eight meters under Piazza del Campidoglio. During the excavation, workers discovered remnants of an ancient road and several buildings that have been incorporated into the structure.
The Galleria Lapidaria closed in the 1970s and reopened in 2005. It features a collection of Greek and Roman inscriptions, burial monuments and legal decrees. Follow the underground tunnel to discover the Tabularium’s terrace, which features a vaulted ceiling and a panoramic view of the Roman Forum.
Visitor information
The Capitoline Museums are near ancient ruins like the Colosseum and the Roman Forum. They make a great stop after visiting the other sites. You will need between two and three hours to visit.
The Capitoline Museums are open daily, from 09:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., with the last entry at 6:30 p.m. Adult tickets cost €15, reduced €13 for Rome residents with valid ID, and free for children under six. Always check the official website before visiting.
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Final thoughts on visiting the Capitoline Museums
I really enjoyed visiting the Capitoline Museums. All the ancient sculptures and art galleries are breathtaking, and the architecture is stunning. If you love architecture, you’ll love this place. The buildings are exquisite both inside and out.
There is beauty all around, from the floors to the stairs, windows, and ceilings. Stepping onto the Tabularium’s terrace, overlooking the Roman Forum, is an unforgettable experience. The remnants of the Roman arches and vaulted ceilings seem bare when compared to the spaces designed by Michelangelo. Yet, they are majestic in their own way.
When you step out on the Tabularium’s terrace, the Roman Forum lies before you. It’s a strange feeling. You’re standing in the same space many others did millennia ago, overlooking the same view. Theirs was unquestionably more impressive, but considering how old the Forum is, I think this view is amazing for different reasons. If you love history, art, and architecture, the Capitoline Museums of Rome should be at the top of your list.
