Museum of the Baths of Diocletian, Archaeological museum in Viminal Hill, Rome, Italy.
The Museum of the Baths of Diocletian is an archaeological museum on Rome's Viminal Hill displaying Roman artifacts within the surviving remains of ancient public bathing facilities. The collections occupy several buildings, including the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli, where Roman walls and rooms have endured to the present day.
The bath complex was built between 298 and 306 CE under Emperor Diocletian and served as a public bathing facility for Romans for centuries. Its use ended in 537 CE when the Goths destroyed the aqueducts, forcing the complex to be abandoned.
The name comes from Emperor Diocletian, who built one of the ancient world's largest public bath complexes here. Visitors can see how Romans spent their leisure time in these spaces, where cold, warm, and hot baths stood side by side.
The museum spreads across several buildings and outdoor areas, so plan to spend a good amount of time exploring. Wear comfortable shoes, as many areas contain stairs and uneven floors, and the ancient Roman remains are not always easy to navigate.
In 1561, Michelangelo transformed large sections of the ancient baths into the Church of Santa Maria degli Angeli, skillfully incorporating the Roman walls and vaults into the new building. This artistic adaptation shows how Renaissance artists reused ancient structures rather than demolishing them.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
