National Roman Museum: Your Complete Guide

The National Roman Museum (Museo Nazionale Romano) is one of Rome’s top museums, welcoming visitors from around the world. It shows the story of ancient Rome with statues, mosaics, wall paintings, and everyday objects.

The museum is going to be the best part of your Europe Tour Package. It is split into four sites. Each site tells its own story. In the cool, underground halls of Palazzo Massimo, you’ll come face to face with lifelike sculptures and vivid wall paintings that once decorated a wealthy Roman villa. At Palazzo Altemps, a Renaissance palace filled with marble portraits, you can trace how Roman artists captured the power and personality of their subjects.

Wander through Crypta Balbi and walk in the very footsteps of Romans whose shops and homes lay buried for centuries. Finally, stand beneath the vaults of the Baths of Diocletian, where the size and scale of imperial architecture will sweep the ground off your feet.

Built in the 19th century as a grand villa, Palazzo Massimo sits right by Termini Station and is a worthwhile stop when planning Rome tour packages. The modern museum galleries were added in the 1980s, using underground spaces to protect ancient finds from the weather.

Collections:

• Sculptures: Over 2,000 pieces, from early Republic portrait heads to Late Empire marble groups.
• Bronzes: Famous works like the “Boxer at Rest” and a life-size Hercules.
• Frescoes & Mosaics: Bright wall paintings from a suburban villa (Villa Livia) and intricate floor mosaics.

A 15th-century Renaissance palace, once home to Cardinal Marco Sittico Altemps. Restored in the 1990s to house private collections of ancient sculpture.

Collections:

• Ludovisi Collection: The striking “Ludovisi Ares” (Mars) and “Ludovisi Throne,” a carved marble relief.
• Greek Originals: Fine Hellenistic bronzes and marbles brought to Rome.
• Roman Portraits: Busts of emperors and nobles showing changing hairstyles and fashions.

Excavations began in the 1980s under a medieval “crypt” once part of a 4th-century portico. Layers of ruins go from Roman shops to medieval homes and 16th-century fortifications, making it one of the coolest places to visit in Rome.

Collections:

• Archaeology in Place: Walk through real streets and building remains as you move from one level to another.
• Everyday Objects: Pottery, coins, tools, and toys show daily life from the 1st to the 10th centuries AD.
• Interactive Displays: Video reconstructions help you picture how the area looked over time.

Built around AD 300 by Emperor Diocletian, they were the largest public baths of ancient Rome. The main hall is now the museum’s grand foyer, with soaring vaults and huge columns.

Collections:

• Imperial Statues: Colossal heads and torsos of emperors, gods, and personifications of victories.
• Inscriptions & Altars: Thousands of inscribed stones chart religious, military, and civic life.
• Mosaics & Reliefs: Panels from private homes and public spaces, showing myth scenes and geometric patterns.

• Opening Hours: Tuesday–Sunday, 9 a.m.–7:30 p.m.
• Full Ticket:₹1145
• Reduced Ticket (EU youth, seniors):₹668
• Free Entry: Under 18, EU teachers

Note: Remember to purchase your National Roman Museum ticket online in advance to skip the line. Always check the National Roman Museum timing on the official site before you go.

• Weekdays, Early Morning: Arrive right at 9:00 a.m. to beat the crowds.
• Off-Season: November through February generally has fewer tourists, making it a good period to consider when choosing the best time to visit Europe.
• Days to Avoid: Weekends and public holidays, when lines are longest.

Suggested Read: 14 Popular Things To Do In Rome

If Rome is one stop on a wider Europe tourism itinerary, how you reach the National Roman Museum will depend on which of its four sites you plan to visit:

Palazzo Massimo alle Terme

• Metro: Line B to “Termini” station, exit Via Giovanni Giolitti.
• Bus: Lines 40, 64, 70 to “Vittorio Emanuele/S. Maria Maggiore.
• Walk: 5 minutes from Termini Station.

Palazzo Altemps

• Metro: Line A to “Spagna” or “Barberini,” then 10 minutes on foot.
• Bus: Lines 52, 53 to “Corso Rinascimento.
• Walk: From Piazza Navona, head east 7 minutes.

Crypta Balbi

• Metro: Line B to “Colosseo,” then a 10-minute walk via Via dei Fori Imperiali.
• Bus: Lines 81, 87 to “Fori Imperiali/Cavour.
• Walk: From the Colosseum, head north past the Roman Forum.

Baths of Diocletian

• Metro: Line A or B to “Termini,” then a 5-minute walk to Viale Enrico De Nicola.
• Bus: Lines 38, 64 to “Parco di Traiano.
• Walk: From Termini, follow signs to Piazza della Repubblica.