 Introduction
The Capitoline Museums (Italian Musei Capitolini) are a group of art and archeological museums in Piazza del Campidoglio, on top of the famous Capitoline Hill in Rome, Italy. The museums are contained in three palazzi surrounding a central trapezoidal piazza in a plan conceived by Michelangelo Buonarroti in 1536 and executed over a period of over 400 years.
 History
The history of the museums can be traced to 1471, when Pope Sixtus IV donated a collection of important ancient bronzes to the people of Rome and located them on Capitoline Hill. Since then, the museums' collection has grown to include a large number of ancient Roman statues, inscriptions, and other artifacts; a collection of medieval and Renaissance art; and collections of jewels, coins, and other items. The museums are owned and operated by the municipality of Rome.
 Location
Piazza del Campidoglio 1 - 00186 ROME
Transport:
Bus:
Via del Teatro di Marcello 44, 63, 81, 95, 160, 170, 175, 204, 628, 715, 716, 780, 781.
Via dei Fori Imperiali 84, 85, 87, 175, 186, 810, 850.
Via del Plebiscito 46, 62, 63, 64, 70, 80, 81, 87, 186, 492, 628, 640, 810.
Underground: Line B - Colosseo stop
 Introduction
The Capitoline Museums are composed of three main buildings surrounding the Piazza del Campidoglio and interlinked by an underground gallery beneath the piazza.
The three main buildings of the Capitoline Museums are:
Palazzo Senatorio, built in the 12th century and modified according to Michelangelo's designs;
Palazzo dei Conservatori, built in the mid-15th century and redesigned by Michelangelo with the first use of the giant order column design; and
Palazzo Nuovo, built in the 17th century with an identical exterior design to the Palazzo dei Conservatori, which it faces across the palazzo.
In addition, the 16th century Palazzo Caffarelli-Clementino, located off the piazza adjacent to the Palazzo dei Conservatori, was added to the museum complex in the early 20th century.
 Palazzo dei Conservatori
The collections here are ancient sculpture, mostly Roman but also Greek and Egyptian.
Main staircase
the impressive relief from the honorary monument to Marcus Aurelius
2nd floor
The second floor of the building is occupied by the Conservator's Apartment, a space now open to the public and housing such famous works as the bronze she-wolf nursing Romulus and Remus, which has become the emblem of Rome. The Conservator's Apartment is distinguished by elaborate interior decorations, including frescoes, stuccos, tapestries, and carved ceilings and doors.
3rd floor
The third floor of the Palazzo dei Conservatori houses the Capitoline Art Gallery, housing the museums' painting and applied art galleries. The Capitoline Coin Cabinet, containing collections of coins, medals, jewels, and jewelry, is located in the attached Palazzo Caffarelli-Clementino.
 Palazzo Nuovo
Statues, inscriptions, sarcophagi, busts, mosaics, and other ancient Roman artifacts occupy two floors of the Palazzo Nuovo.
In the Hall of the Galatian can also be appreciated the marble statue of the "Dying Gaul" also called Capitoline Gaul and the statue of Cupid and Psyche. Also housed in this building are:
the colossal statue restored as Oceanus, located in the museum courtyard of this building
a fragment of the Tabula Iliaca located at the Hall of the Doves
the statue of Capitoline Venus, from an original by Praxiteles (4th century BC)
 Galleria Congiunzione
The Galleria Congiunzione is located beneath the Palazzo dei Conservatori and the piazza itself, and links the three palazzos sitting on the piazza. The gallery was constructed in the 1930s. It contains in situ 2nd century ruins of ancient Roman dwellings, and also houses the Galleria Lapidaria, which displays the Museums' collection of epigraphs.
 New wing
The great glass covered hall created by covering the Giardino Romano is designed by the architect Carlo Aymonino. Its volume recalls that of the oval space designed by Michelangelo for the piazza. Its centrepiece is the bronze equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius, which was once in the centre of Piazza del Campidoglio and has been kept indoors ever since its modern restoration. It also houses the remaining fragments of the bronze colossus of Constantine and the archaeological remains of the tufa foundations of the temple of Capitoline Jupiter, with a model, drawn and computer reconstructions and finds dating from the earliest occupation on the site (in the mid Bronze Age: 17th-14th centuries B.C.) to the foundation of the temple (6th century BC).
 Capitoline Picture Gallery
The collection consists of paintings from the Sacchetti and Pio di Savoia collections, acquired in 1748-50 and subsequently augmented through donations, purchases and legacies.
The gallery includes works of Caravaggio, Guercino, Tintoretto, Annibale Carracci, Paolo Veronese, Scarsellino, Palma il Vecchio, Tiziano, Rubens, Antonio van Dyck, Calvaert, etc.
 Useful information
Information, reservations and conventions: 06-82059127
e-mail: info.museicapitolini@comune.roma.it
Opening times:
Tuesday - Sunday 9 a.m. ? 8 p.m.
24th and 31st December 09 a.m. ? 2 p.m.
Monday CLOSED
1st January, 1st May, 25th December CLOSED
The ticket-office closes one hour before the closing-time of the Museum.
 Links
|