Museo Nazionale Romano

The National Roman Museum preserves archaeological collections across four historic sites in Rome: Palazzo Massimo, Palazzo Altemps, the Baths of Diocletian and Crypta Balbi.

Why it matters

The museum presents Roman sculpture, frescoes, epigraphy and everyday archaeology through collections gathered from across the city and its territory. Its four locations connect imperial art with the history of collecting, Roman religion and the development of medieval Rome.

What to notice

Palazzo Massimo displays sculpture, portraits, sarcophagi, frescoes and mosaics, including material from the Villa of Livia and the Villa della Farnesina. Palazzo Altemps presents historic collections assembled by Roman aristocratic families. The Baths of Diocletian include epigraphic and protohistoric displays within Michelangelo's former monastery, while Crypta Balbi interprets the archaeology of an urban block from antiquity through the early modern period.

Context and history

The museum was founded in 1889, initially using part of the Baths of Diocletian. A 1981 law expanded the institution into three additional sites and organised its collections by theme. Palazzo Massimo opened as a museum in 1998, and Palazzo Altemps opened in 1997. Crypta Balbi developed as a museum devoted to the archaeology of the medieval city. The four-site structure was confirmed by a 2016 decree granting the museum special autonomy.