Rome is one of the cities that managed to collect, throughout the centuries, some of the most important pieces of art in the whole world. Having more than 60 museums, it will be very hard to choose which ones to see but fear not!
If you are visiting Rome we’re here to help with our list of the top 5 museums in Rome!
1. Musei Capitolini
Located on top of the Capitoline Hill in Rome, the Capitoline Museums are a group of archeological museums.
It was first funded in 1417 by Pope Sixtus IV and it is said to be the oldest museum in Rome. Nowadays, the Capitoline Museums house some of the most magnificent Romanesque paintings and sculptures. Here are some of the most important masterpieces that are housed in this place:
- the Colossus of Constantine;
- the Bust of Commodus as Hercules;
- the Capitoline She-Wolf;
- the Medusa by Gian Lorenzo Bernini;
2. MAXXI
If you’re looking for a more modern museum, MAXXI is definitely for you! It’s a National Centre for Contemporary Art and Architecture, designed by Zaha Hadid. The Maxxi offers different kinds of exhibitions but here’s a list of some of the artists you can currently find in their collection:
- Fabio Barile;
- Andrea Botto;
- Marina Caneve;
- Francesco Neri;
3. Galleria Borghese
Galleria Borghese is an art gallery located in the former Villa Borghese Pinciana. It consists of a two-story building with twenty rooms with more than 260 paintings and it houses some of the best pieces of art from painters and sculptors such as Antonio Canova, Bernini, Caravaggio, Raphael, and many more.
Here’s what you should look out for when visiting Galleria Borghese:
- Boy With a Basket of Fruit by Caravaggio;
- David with the Head of Goliath by Caravaggio;
- Aeneas, Anchises and Ascanius by Bernini;
- Jerome by Caravaggio;
4. Centrale Montemartini
Centrale Montemartini is a magnificent museum set in a former thermoelectric power station. With its amazing sculptures and old machines as a background, it fully shows you how industrial architecture can weirdly become an amazing home for art!
Here are some of the best sculptures in Centrale Montemartini’s collection:
- Portrait of Cleopatra;
- Statua di Marsia;
- Statue of a Muse: Polymnia;
- Statua di Fanciulla Seduta;
5. Castel Sant’Angelo
Located near St. Peter’s Basilica, the Sant’Angelo castle is an architectural masterpiece and an archeological area that used to be a Mausoleum for Hadrian and that was later on turned into a museum.
It houses many different collections from all kinds of periods, making your visit a really interesting experience. Here are some of the best pieces of art you can check out at Castel Sant’Angelo:
- San Girolamo Penitente by Lorenzo Lotto;
- Cristo Benedicente e Sant’Onofrio by Carlo Crivelli;
- Madonna in trono col Bambino e i Santi Ambrogio, Giovanni Battista, Pietro, Vittore, Benedetto e Antonio Abate by Ambrogio Zavattari;
Conclusions
The Eternal City of Rome surely houses some of the best masterpieces in the world. If you want to get to know more about Rome and discover beautiful and stunning museums, make sure to book a tour with us!
