The Museums of Rome: Palazzo Altemps

While many museums in Rome are terribly busy such as the Galleria Borghese and the Capitoline Museums, hidden gems like Palazzo Altemps are your chance to experience art and history in a calm atmosphere. Without the tourist crowds, the museum becomes sacred and enjoyable.

Similar to my visit to the Capitoline Museums, I got in the Palazzo Altemps for free because I had a letter saying I was an art student at a university in Rome. If you study art, architecture, or cultural heritage in Italy, make sure to ask your university to issue a study letter and bring the letter and your student card with you to Italian museums. Most of the times you can get in the museums without paying anything or at a discounted price.

My first impression of the Palazzo Altemps was that it was extremely quiet. There were only a few visitors. That allowed me to examine artworks without being distracted so I really enjoyed my visit. The artworks exhibited at the 15th-century palazzo are Greek and Roman sculptures as well as Renaissance frescoes.* It is truly a blend of times, and most importantly, a quiet place for art mediation.* One of my favorite parts of the museum is the highly decorated loggia on the second floor. The museum also has a designated area for temporary exhibitions on history and cultures.

General museum tip: On the first Sunday of each month, state museums and archaeological sites offer free entries for everyone. Some of the most important ones are Colosseum and Roman Forum/Palatine, Museo Nazionale Romano (Palazzo Massimo, Palazzo Altemps, Crypta Balbi, Terme di Diocleziano), The Borghese Gallery (booking required), Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Antica-Palazzo Barberini, and Galleria Nazionale Arte Moderna. A full list of the participating museums can be found on this website.

The Museums of Rome series by Vy Tran

Other Roman museums worth visiting are Galleria Borghese and Musei Capitolini. While Galleria Borghese is in the free Sunday museum program, Musei Capitolini is not.