The National Roman Museum spreads its collections across four sites, using objects from excavations in Rome and its surroundings to tell the story of ancient life. Its Palazzo Massimo galleries organize sculpture, frescoes, mosaics, and portraits by period and theme.
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The museum’s collection is easier to understand when you remember it is not housed in one building. The National Roman Museum is divided among four sites: Palazzo Massimo, Palazzo Altemps, the Baths of Diocletian, and Crypta Balbi. The institution developed around archaeological finds collected after Rome became the capital of Italy in 1870.
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UpgradeQuick facts
- The National Roman Museum has four locations.
- Palazzo Massimo was built between 1883 and 1887 as a Jesuit school.
- The Palazzo opened to the public as a museum in 1998.
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