The National Roman Museum, or Museo Nazionale Romano, holds one of the world's great collections of ancient Roman art, spread across several sites in central Rome. Its main building, Palazzo Massimo alle Terme, stands right beside Termini station, which makes it one of the easiest major museums in the city to reach. Despite the quality of the collection, it is far quieter than the Vatican Museums or the Colosseum, so you can see masterpieces up close without the crowds.
Why visit the National Roman Museum
The museum was founded in the late nineteenth century to hold finds from excavations in Rome, and it has grown into a collection of sculpture, bronzes, frescoes, mosaics and coins of exceptional quality. The sites each have a different character:
- Palazzo Massimo alle Terme: the main collection of sculpture, frescoes and mosaics, next to Termini.
- Baths of Diocletian: the remains of the largest bath complex of ancient Rome, with a cloister and epigraphy collections.
- Palazzo Altemps: a Renaissance palace near Piazza Navona holding famous collections of classical sculpture.
Most first-time visitors start with Palazzo Massimo, which has the best-known pieces.
How to get to the National Roman Museum by metro
The nearest station is Termini, Rome's main railway station and the only interchange between metro Line A and Line B. Palazzo Massimo stands on Largo di Villa Peretti, at the edge of Piazza dei Cinquecento in front of the station, a walk of only a few minutes.
For the Baths of Diocletian, Termini also works, as does Repubblica on Line A, by Piazza della Repubblica. Palazzo Altemps is not near the metro; it is a walk from Piazza Navona, or a bus ride from Termini.
National Roman Museum tickets and opening hours
Entry is paid. A combined ticket covering several of the museum's sites has usually been available and stays valid for a number of days, which is good value if you plan to visit more than one. Like other Italian state museums, the museum is generally closed on Mondays, and Italy's state museums have traditionally offered free entry on the first Sunday of the month, which brings bigger crowds. Rules for reduced and free tickets for young visitors are set nationally and change from time to time. Check the official website, museonazionaleromano.cultura.gov.it, for current prices, opening times and which sites are open.
Highlights at Palazzo Massimo
The Boxer at Rest
This bronze of a seated boxer, battered and exhausted, is one of the finest bronzes to survive from the ancient world, with remarkable detail in the face and hands.
The Discobolus
The museum's Roman copy of the famous discus thrower, known as the Lancellotti Discobolus, is among the best surviving versions of the lost Greek original.
Frescoes from the Villa of Livia
Upstairs, a room-sized garden fresco from the villa of Augustus's wife Livia surrounds you with painted trees, flowers and birds. It is one of the most beautiful rooms in Rome.
Mosaics and the coin collection
The upper floors have fine floor mosaics and painted rooms from Roman houses, and the basement holds a large collection of coins and jewellery.
The Baths of Diocletian and Palazzo Altemps
The Baths of Diocletian were built around the year 300 and could serve thousands of bathers at once. Inside the museum site you can walk through vast ancient halls and a large Renaissance cloister, often linked to Michelangelo, lined with sculpture and inscriptions. Palazzo Altemps, near Piazza Navona, is quite different: an elegant palace whose rooms display classical sculpture from noble Roman collections, including the Ludovisi pieces. If you have time for two sites, Palazzo Massimo and the Baths make the easiest pair, as they are only a few minutes apart.
Best time to visit and how long
Weekday mornings are calm, and the museum rarely gets crowded outside free entry days. It is a good choice for a hot afternoon or a rainy day, or for the hours before a train from Termini. Allow two hours for Palazzo Massimo and another hour or so for the Baths of Diocletian.
Nearby on the same stop
- Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri: a church built by Michelangelo inside part of the Baths of Diocletian, on Piazza della Repubblica.
- Santa Maria Maggiore: one of Rome's four major basilicas, a short walk south.
- Piazza della Repubblica: with its fountain and arcades, just west of the museum.
- Via Nazionale: the shopping street leading toward the city centre.
Find more around Termini on the National Roman Museum page, or browse the Rome guide for more places by metro station.