The Capitoline Museums sit on top of the Capitoline Hill, the smallest of Rome's seven hills and the religious centre of the ancient city. Often described as the oldest public museum in the world, the Capitoline Museums hold some of the most famous ancient sculptures in Rome and offer one of the best views over the Roman Forum, all arranged around a square designed by Michelangelo.
Why visit the Capitoline Museums
The collection began in 1471, when Pope Sixtus IV gave a group of ancient bronzes to the people of Rome. It grew over the following centuries and opened to the public in the 18th century. Today it fills two palaces facing each other across Piazza del Campidoglio, the Palazzo dei Conservatori and the Palazzo Nuovo, linked by an underground gallery.
It is a good choice if you want ancient Rome indoors, with time to look closely, after a hot morning at the Forum. It is usually far less crowded than the Vatican Museums, and the setting itself is part of the experience.
Getting to the Capitoline Museums by metro
The closest convenient station is Colosseo on Line B. From the station, walk along Via dei Fori Imperiali with the Imperial Forums on your left, towards the white Vittoriano monument at Piazza Venezia. The museums are on the hill just to the left of the monument, roughly 15 minutes from the station.
- Cavour, the next stop on Line B, is a similar distance away through the Monti district.
- Many buses stop at Piazza Venezia, at the foot of the hill.
The easiest way up is the Cordonata, Michelangelo's broad, gently sloping ramp of steps that rises from Piazza d'Aracoeli to the square. Do not confuse it with the much steeper staircase beside it, which leads to the church of Santa Maria in Aracoeli.
Capitoline Museums tickets and opening times
Entry is paid, and the ticket covers both palaces and the underground gallery. Special exhibitions sometimes raise the price or require a combined ticket. Residents of Rome and some other groups may get reduced rates, and the city's museums have occasional free days.
Check current prices, opening hours and closing days on the official website, museicapitolini.org, where you can also book. Outside major exhibitions, it is often possible to buy at the door without a long wait, but booking ahead is the safer option in peak season.
Best time to visit and how long to stay
Weekday mornings are the quietest. Late afternoon is also good, especially if you plan to finish at the Tabularium viewpoint as the light softens over the Forum. Allow two to three hours to see both palaces at a comfortable pace, and add time for the museum café, which has a terrace with views across the rooftops.
Highlights inside
The equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius
The bronze rider in the middle of the square is a copy. The original, one of the very few ancient bronze equestrian statues to survive, stands in a glass hall inside the Palazzo dei Conservatori.
The Capitoline Wolf
The bronze she-wolf feeding Romulus and Remus has become the symbol of Rome. The twins were added during the Renaissance, and the date of the wolf itself is debated by scholars.
The colossal Constantine
In the courtyard of the Palazzo dei Conservatori, the huge head, hand and foot of a giant statue of Emperor Constantine are among the most photographed objects in the museum.
The Dying Gaul and the Capitoline Venus
In the Palazzo Nuovo, look for the moving marble of a wounded Gaul and the Capitoline Venus, displayed in a small room of its own.
The Tabularium
The underground gallery between the two palaces passes through the remains of an ancient Roman building and opens onto a gallery with a sweeping view of the Roman Forum.
Nearby on the same metro stop
From Colosseo and the Capitoline Hill, you can easily walk to:
- The Roman Forum and Palatine Hill: the ancient city centre below the hill.
- The Colosseum: next to the station.
- The Vittoriano: the national monument on Piazza Venezia, with a paid lift to a rooftop terrace.
- Santa Maria in Aracoeli: the medieval church at the top of the steep staircase beside the Cordonata.
See more around this station on the Capitoline Museums on Around the Metro, or explore the full Rome metro map.