Pope Sixtus IV gave a collection of bronze statues that had previously been preserved at the Lateran to the people of Rome in 1471, which is when the Musei Capitolini first opened. These statues made up the collection's initial centerpiece. Later popes added to the collection with pieces found during excavations in and around Rome; some were transferred from the Vatican, while others, like the Albani collection, were purchased especially for the museum. Pope Benedict XIV established a photo gallery in the middle of the eighteenth century. At the end of the nineteenth century, when Rome was made the capital of Italy and two entirely new districts were built to accommodate the growing metropolis, a sizeable amount of new archaeological material was also contributed. The Palazzo dei Conservatori and Palazzo Senatorio, two of the three buildings that together surround the Palazzo Nuovo in Piazza del Campidoglio, are where the Museums' treasures are on display. An underground passageway connects these two structures and leads to the historic Tabularium, whose imposing arches overlook the Forum. It also houses the Galleria Lapidaria. The collections of historical sculptures created by the major noble families are housed in the Palazzo Nuovo. Since the seventeenth century, their endearing arrangement has seldom changed. The Capitoline Venus, the Capitoline Gaul monument, and the colossal statue of Marforio that stands in the center of the courtyard are only a few of the well-known collections of busts of Roman thinkers and emperors.
The Domitian exhibition explores the complexities and contrasts of this individual and his empire. Domitian was the last emperor of the gens Flavia and was both adored and despised in both life and death. The exhibition features about 100 pieces from some of the most prestigious international and Italian museums.
The republican era's magistracies are evoked by the voices of four men and one woman, capturing the essence of ancient Rome's political life of the time.
Through a carefully chosen selection of works from the Santarelli Foundation, a thorough overview of the usage of colored marbles, from its beginnings to the twentieth century, is on exhibit.
With the aid of multimedia, the magnificent marble calendars known as the Fasti Capitolini recount the history of Rome from its early days to the beginning of the imperial era.
Duration RequiredPiazza del Campidoglio 1, 00186 Rome, Italy
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