National Roman Museum - Palazzo Massimo, History museum near Roma Termini, Italy.
Palazzo Massimo houses the collections of the National Roman Museum, displaying ancient statues, mosaics, frescoes, and archaeological finds spread across four floors. The building itself is a Renaissance palace that presents these artworks within spacious halls and galleries.
The museum was founded in 1889 as Italy unified, and relocated to Palazzo Massimo in 1998. This move allowed the large collections to be properly organized and displayed for the first time.
The second floor displays complete garden frescoes from the Villa of Livia, showing how Romans decorated their homes with nature scenes. These painted walls give you a sense of how wealthy families lived and what art forms they valued.
The galleries are accessible by stairs and elevators, with the upper floors displaying most of the well-known works. It helps to start with the upper levels and gradually work downward to distribute your visit more evenly across the museum.
The basement holds Italy's largest collection of coins and medals, with over 500,000 pieces. This often overlooked section reveals how currency and craftsmanship evolved in the ancient world.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
