Discover Palazzo Massimo, part of the Museo Nazionale Romano in Rome
One of Rome’s finest ancient art museums lies just steps from the Termini Station: Palazzo Massimo. If you are looking for a reprieve from the hustling and bustling Capitoline Museums or Vatican Museums, Palazzo Massimo is the perfect place to enjoy beautiful Roman artwork. It is also incredibly accessible due to its convenient location across the street from Termini Station.
As one of four museums in the Museo Nazionale Romano organization, Palazzo Massimo features three floors of sculptures, frescoes, coins, mosaics, and more!
The palace was built between 1883 and 1887 by the Jesuit figure Massimiliano Massimo and was established in 1889 to house some of the finest Roman antiquities. It was briefly utilized as a military hospital during World War II but the Italian State acquired the site and renovated it to accommodate three floors of exhibition spaces in 1981.
Palazzo Massimo primarily features masterpieces of classical sculpture from the early imperial periods on the ground and first floors but the collections of frescoes and mosaics on the second floor are just as impressive and enthralling. Some of the museum’s most notable works include The Lancellotti Discobolus, Frescoes from Livia’s Villa at Prima Porta, and The Sleeping Hermaphrodite.
The opening path of the museum portrays the themes of the portrait and its evolution in the history of Roman art throughout the archaic age. Greek originals sculpted in marble make up the majority of the ground and first floors but bronze works, such as The Seated Boxer and The Hellenistic Prince from the Baths of Constantine, are featured as well.
A true highlight are the frescoes from the Villa of Livia, the wife of Emperor Augustus. The room was decorated with frescoes showing a beautiful garden, making people feel as though they were sitting outdoors.
A wing dedicated to the Roman and Barbarian Wars features breathtaking sarcophagi and sculptures of Roman figures depicting their involvement in the war efforts.
The collections are distributed throughout the floors of the building following chronological and thematic orders. Palazzo Massimo is considered to house one of the world’s largest collections of ancient art and the beautiful palace, surrounding a serene courtyard, is the perfect setting for some of the most beautiful artworks depicting Roman history and life.
To visit Palazzo Massimo and one of the best archaeological collections in the world, you can purchase a ticket for the palace alone, or (as we recommend) purchase a ticket to visit all four of the museums in the Museo Nazionale Romano organization. With this ticket you have a week to visit Palazzo Massimo, Palazzo Altemps, Crypta Balbi, and the Baths of Diocleziano.
INSPIRATION
Best Museums in Rome
Largo di Villa Peretti, 2 (Termini)
9.30am-7pm
Entry fee (only Palazzo Massimo) €8
Combined ticket for access to all four National Roman Museum sites €12
