Capitoline Museums of Rome: History, Art, Tickets, and Where to Stay
The Capitoline Museums of Rome are the beating heart of the city’s history and art, a unique museum complex that safeguards masterpieces of antiquity and traces over two thousand years of civilization.
Located on the historic Capitoline Hill, the Capitoline Museums stand as one of the most authentic symbols of Rome’s enduring bond with its artistic heritage.
Their origins date back to 1471, when Pope Sixtus IV donated to the people of Rome a collection of ancient bronzes, including the famous Capitoline Wolf, the Camillus, and the Brutus.
That gesture marked the birth of the world’s first public art collection, widely regarded as the oldest museum in existence.
Today, the Capitoline Museums extend across the Palazzo dei Conservatori and the Palazzo Nuovo, connected by an underground gallery running beneath Piazza del Campidoglio, the urban masterpiece designed by Michelangelo Buonarroti in the 16th century.

