Museums in Centro Storico (Rome)

Museo Boncompagni

This is Italy's first collection dedicated to the decorative arts. It exhibits objects from architecture, fashion and design from 1700 to the modern day. One of the most famous pieces is the silver and gilded bronze cradle given by the Comune of Rome to King Vittorio Emanuele III and Queen Elena on the birth of Princess Iolanda. There are objects of glassware, pottery, furniture and clothes, some donated by famous designers such as Galitzine, Valentino, Lancetti, Gattinoni and the Fontana sisters. Admission: Free.

Museo Canonica

When the Commune of Rome allowed one of its no longer used administrative buildings in Villa Borghese to be used by a sculptor, it did not contemplate it being turned into a museum. The sculptor Pietro Canonica renovated the building at his own expense by promising to donate his works to the city. The museum was opened about 40 years ago and exhibits studies, models, sketches and original works of the artist. After the death of his wife, Canonica's house was also opened to the public where a collection of 19th-century Piedmontese paintings, objects and furnishings can be admired. Admission: EUR 2.

Museo Barracco

The Palazzo della Piccola Farnesina, built in 1523, houses the Barracco museum, formed from a collection of pre-Roman art sculptures, Assyrian bas-reliefs, Attic vases, Egyptian hieroglyphics and exceptional Etruscan and Roman pieces. The collection was put together by Senator Baracco whose statue can be admired in the palazzo's inner courtyard. It is a fairly new museum-- the works on display were donated in the early 20th Century. No wheelchair access available.

Museo delle Cere

Linked to the famed Madame Tussaud's in London, the Museo delle Cere recreates historical scenes such as Leonardo da Vinci painting the Mona Lisa surrounded by the Medici family and Machiavelli. Another scene shows Mussolini's last Cabinet meeting. There is of course a chamber of horrors with a garrotte, a gas chamber and an electric chair. Admission: EUR 4.

Museo Nazionale Etrusco di Villa Giulia

Museo Nazionale Etrusco di Villa Giulia was a splendid Renaissance villa, built for Pope Julius III and houses an important collection of Etruscan treasures found mainly in graves and tombs. The Tomb of the Newlyweds is one of the most famous pieces here, and was probably designed to contain the remains of a couple.There is a reconstruction of a temple in the garden, illustrating the Etruscans' love of detail. The water garden in front of the museum decorated with mosaics, fountains, and statues, and the frescoes inside the colonnaded loggia are worth noting. A recent piece is a 5th century terracotta relief, which shows the Grecian influence on Etruscan art.

Museo d'Arte Ebraica

Entrance to the museum is complemented by a visit to the nearby synagogue. Some of the magnificent objects on display include crowns, silverware, Torahs, and tallits (the cloak that Jews wear during prayers.) One section shows the persecution the Jews have endured through the 2000 years of their history. There are copies of the Papal edict that banned Jews from certain activities during the 16th Century, and accounts of the Nazi horrors in the concentration camps. The ticket to the museum includes a visit to the nearby synagogue facing the Tiber, which was built in 1870.

Galleria Colonna

This gallery is attached to Palazzo Colonna and is made up of six rooms, richly decorated with ceiling frescoes. Marcantonio Colonna's Apotheosis, a powerful fresco, can be seen at the entrance. There are also two writing desks, which are marvelous works of art and well worth seeing. The first desk is decorated in semi-precious stone with bronze statuettes and the second is decorated with inlaid ivory. Not to be missed is Bronzino's piece entitled Venus and Cupid. Unfortunately, this splendid gallery called Galleria Colonna is only open once a week, but it is definitely worth visiting in order to see these unique pieces. There is no wheelchair access.

Museo della Didattica della Scienza

A law set down in 1889 decreed that secondary schools were to be equipped with a natural history museum as well as chemistry and physics laboratories. Thus, this science museum was born, it was founded in 1870 and housed in rooms at the "E.Q. Visconti" secondary school. Amongst the objects on display there are several relics belonging to the Kircherian museum, which was situated in the palazzo, and closed down in the 18th Century. Much of its collection was divided amongst various museums, although the school still retains some very important pieces. The large rooms, which have been converted into a museum exhibit collections from the following scientific fields: mineralogy, zoology, botany, chemistry, geology and paleontology, as well as scientific instruments and a marvelous collection of around 100 items of scientific glassware, all totally handblown and hand-crafted. Admission: Free.

Museo di Palazzo Venezia

One of the most important collections of medieval and Renaissance art is housed at  Museo di Palazzo Venezia. There are Renaissance paintings, painted wooden sculptures and chests from all over Italy, tapestries from elsewhere in Europe, Neapolitan ceramics, silverware, suits of armor, and 17th and 18th-century paintings. One of the most dramatic pieces is a 13th Century enameled Byzantine Christ. There are also terracotta studies by Bernini for construction of the Triton fountain and the decoration of Castel Sant'Angelo.

Galleria Doria Pamphilj

Galleria Doria Pamphilj, the palazzo was once the home of Pope Innocent X (Giambattista Pamphili), and now houses one of the most refined art collections in the capital. The most famous names in Renaissance art are represented. Amongst the most celebrated offerings is Titian's Salome, a work from the beginning of his career. Also included in the Italian wing are works by Caravaggio and Guercino, a Portrait of two gentlemen by Raffaello, and the unfinished Allegory of Virtue by Correggio. There is a prevalence of Flemish names among the foreign artists, such as Brueghels and Pieter the elder.

Museo Numismatico della Zecca Italiana

This museum, situated within the Treasury, contains a collection of more than 20,000 items including coins, medallions, wax models and equipment used in the minting process. The papal medallions begin with Pope Martin V who started the first mint. Amongst the wax models the series by Benedetto Pistrucci is worth noting; he was a famous Roman engraver who worked at the London mint and he is responsible for the St George on horseback that is found on the English pound coin. Take an identification card with you because you will need to leave it with the concierge after filling out a form. Admission: Free.

Museo Tipologico Internazionale del Presepio - Angelo Stefanucci

One of Italy's Christmas traditions; reproductions of the Holy Manger, is the basis of this collection. It contains not just Italian-made models, but examples from all over the world-from Kenya, Latin America, Ukraine and elsewhere. The figures are made from wood, terracotta, glass, papier-mâché and even coal. The museum was founded in 1953 and each year around October it arranges free courses on the techniques used in making these reproductions. The exhibition also includes collections of stamps, coins and medals on the same theme. Admission: Free.