Museo Nazionale Romano, Terme di Diocleziano

The National Roman Museum occupies four separate buildings across Rome, including the Baths of Diocletian, displaying Roman statues, mosaics, jewelry, and household objects from daily life. Each location holds different collections that together cover various aspects of Roman civilization.

Founded in 1889, the museum began with the Kircherian collection and grew through excavations following Rome's unification with the Kingdom of Italy. The Baths of Diocletian themselves date to the 3rd century and were later transformed by Michelangelo, who added a cloister structure.

The epigraphic collection shows how Romans used writing to record laws, dedications, and everyday life across thousands of stone tablets and inscriptions. Walking through these sections reveals how language shaped Roman society and identity.

The museum spreads across four locations, so plan which sections interest you most before visiting to make the most of your time. The Baths of Diocletian site is often the most accessible and offers the clearest sense of ancient Roman building scale and design.

Within the ancient Baths of Diocletian stands a Renaissance cloister designed by Michelangelo in the 16th century, surrounded by an outdoor display of Roman altars and funeral monuments. This surprising blend of ancient ruins and later Renaissance architecture creates a unique atmosphere in the heart of Rome.