Museo Chiaramonti

The Chiaramonti Museum houses over one thousand Roman sculptures and portraits in a long corridor with barrel vaults and natural light from skylights. The collection is arranged chronologically and thematically to show the range of Roman artistic production.

The museum was established in 1807 under Pope Pius VII, with Antonio Canova arranging the ancient Roman statues in systematic order. This organization shaped how people understood Roman art for generations.

The collection displays Roman portrait busts of emperors and deities that reflect ancient artistic techniques and social customs. Walking through the gallery, you notice how sculptors captured power and dignity in stone.

You enter with a Vatican Museums ticket, and visiting in the morning helps avoid crowds. The long corridor layout allows you to walk through at your own pace.

The adjoining Galleria Lapidaria contains over 3,000 inscriptions carved into stone, preserving Roman and early Christian records. These texts tell stories of ordinary people and official documents from ancient times.

Location: Vatican City

Inception: 1807

Founders: Pius VII

Official opening: 1807

Part of: Vatican Museums

Address: Viale Vaticano

Website: http://museivaticani.va/content/museivaticani/it/collezioni/musei/museo-chiaramonti.html

GPS coordinates: 41.90604,12.45507

Latest update: December 10, 2025 20:01