iCapitoline Museums
Founded in 1471 when Pope Sixtus IV gave a group of ancient bronzes to the people of Rome, the Capitoline Museums are widely regarded as the world's oldest public museums. They occupy the twin palaces of Palazzo dei Conservatori and Palazzo Nuovo, which face each other across Michelangelo's Piazza del Campidoglio. The collection is a treasury of Roman sculpture, including the Capitoline Wolf, the Dying Gaul, the Capitoline Venus and the original gilded-bronze equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius. The Pinacoteca Capitolina adds paintings by Caravaggio, Titian and Rubens.
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What's On
I Colori dell'Antico: Marmi Santarelli ai Musei Capitolini
A long-running display in Palazzo Clementino of over 660 polychrome marbles from the Imperial age, from the Santarelli collection, illustrating Rome's history through coloured stone.
The Colossal Statue of Constantine
A 1:1, roughly 13-metre reconstruction of the 4th-century colossus of Emperor Constantine, displayed in the garden of Villa Caffarelli using casts of the surviving original fragments.
Il non finito: fra poetica e tecnica esecutiva
A Pinacoteca display using scientific imaging to reveal the creative process behind unfinished paintings by artists such as Palma il Vecchio, Guido Reni and Garofalo.
Angeli: Messengers, Guardians and Wanderers from Antiquity to the Contemporary
An exhibition in Palazzo dei Conservatori tracing the angelic figure across Western art from antiquity to today, through three sections: messengers, guardians and wanderers.
Diego Rivera and the Construction of Modern Art in 20th-Century Mexico
A retrospective at Villa Caffarelli of over 140 works showing how Diego Rivera and his contemporaries forged modern Mexican art from pre-Columbian heritage and post-revolution ideals.
Permanent Collections
The Dying Gaul (Capitoline Gaul)
A celebrated marble of a mortally wounded Celtic warrior collapsing on his shield, a Roman copy after a Hellenistic Pergamene bronze, shown in the Hall of the Galatian.
The Capitoline She-Wolf (Lupa Capitolina)
The bronze she-wolf that is the enduring emblem of Rome, displayed in the Hall of the She-Wolf; the Renaissance twins Romulus and Remus were later added beneath her.
Equestrian Statue of Marcus Aurelius
The original 2nd-century gilded-bronze equestrian statue of Emperor Marcus Aurelius, the only such Roman bronze to survive intact, sheltered in the glazed Marcus Aurelius Exedra.
Plan Your Visit
Getting there
Piazza del Campidoglio 1, 00186 Rome, Italy
Nearest station: Piazza Venezia (bus hub, Tram 8 terminus), Colosseo (Metro Line B) and Teatro Marcello / Ara Coeli (bus)
Show on mapHours
| Mon | 09:30–19:30 |
| Tue | 09:30–19:30 |
| WedToday | 09:30–19:30 |
| Thu | 09:30–19:30 |
| Fri | 09:30–19:30 |
| Sat | 09:30–19:30 |
| Sun | 09:30–19:30 |
Admission
From €15
Reduced approx EUR 9.50; free for residents of Rome and the Metropolitan City with valid ID; combined ticket rises to approx EUR 20.50 during major temporary exhibitions
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Visitor Information
- How much does Capitoline Museums cost?
- Standard adult admission to Capitoline Museums is €15. Reduced approx EUR 9.50; free for residents of Rome and the Metropolitan City with valid ID; combined ticket rises to approx EUR 20.50 during major temporary exhibitions. Prices for special exhibitions and timed-entry slots may differ.
- What are the opening hours of Capitoline Museums?
- Capitoline Museums is open Open daily 9:30-19:30 (last admission 18:30); 24 & 31 Dec 9:30-14:00, 1 Jan 11:00-20:00; closed 1 May and 25 Dec.. Holiday hours can vary, so check the museum's website before you go.
- Where is Capitoline Museums?
- Capitoline Museums is located at Piazza del Campidoglio 1, 00186 Rome, Italy, in the Campidoglio area of Rome. The nearest stations are Piazza Venezia (bus hub, Tram 8 terminus), Colosseo (Metro Line B) and Teatro Marcello / Ara Coeli (bus).
- What can I see at Capitoline Museums?
- The world's oldest public museums, crowning Michelangelo's Capitoline Hill with the bronze she-wolf, Marcus Aurelius and ancient Rome. Current highlights include The Dying Gaul (Capitoline Gaul), The Colossal Statue of Constantine and I Colori dell'Antico: Marmi Santarelli ai Musei Capitolini.
- Do I need to book Capitoline Museums in advance?
- Booking ahead is recommended, especially for weekends, school holidays, and special exhibitions. Tickets are normally on the museum's website, and a pre-booked timed slot helps you avoid queues at the entrance.
- When is the best time to visit Capitoline Museums?
- Weekday mornings shortly after opening are typically the quietest, especially mid-week. Late afternoons can also be calmer. Weekends, school holidays, and the lunch rush are the busiest periods.
Image credits
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- Capitoline MuseumsTournasol7 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
- The Dying Gaul (Capitoline Gaul)Courtesy of Capitoline Museums
- The Colossal Statue of ConstantineCourtesy of Capitoline Museums
- I Colori dell'Antico: Marmi Santarelli ai Musei CapitoliniCourtesy of Capitoline Museums
- The Capitoline She-Wolf (Lupa Capitolina)Courtesy of Capitoline Museums
- Diego Rivera and the Construction of Modern Art in 20th-Century MexicoCourtesy of Capitoline Museums
- Angeli: Messengers, Guardians and Wanderers from Antiquity to the ContemporaryCourtesy of Capitoline Museums
- Il non finito: fra poetica e tecnica esecutivaCourtesy of Capitoline Museums
- Equestrian Statue of Marcus AureliusCourtesy of Capitoline Museums
- Galleria ColonnaLalupa, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Galleria Doria PamphiljKrzysztof Golik, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
- PantheonRoberta Dragan, CC BY-SA 2.5