About Capitoline Museums
Founded in 1471 when Pope Sixtus IV donated a group of bronzes to the people of Rome, the Capitoline Museums became the first public museum in the world. Michelangelo redesigned the surrounding piazza in 1536.
The collections inside the Palazzo dei Conservatori and the Palazzo Nuovo span ancient sculpture, medieval and Renaissance painting, and the original equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius.
Collections & Highlights
Frequently Asked Questions
A small ask before you go
You've just explored one of humanity's greatest collections of beauty. Art has the power to move us, inspire us, and change how we see the world. But millions of people will never see beauty like this — not because the art isn't there, but because they can't see at all.
Preventable blindness, caused by conditions like cataracts and trachoma, affects people of all ages across the world's poorest communities. A small gift — for the cost of a museum ticket — can provide a simple surgery to restore someone's sight and transform their life.