Capitoline Hill
Rome, Italy
Capitoline Museums, Rome
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Photo: Tournasol7, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia CommonsFit in nearby today
The essentials in 10 seconds
- Ticket
- ≈ €15–19.50 — higher during exhibitions
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Opening hours
- Daily 9:30–19:30, last entry 18:30
- Time on site
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A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes. - 2 h 30 min
- With kids
- Fine with kids
- Closed
- 1 May and 25 December
- Free
- First Sunday of the month; Rome residents since February 2026
- Time needed
- 2–2.5 hours
- Location
- Piazza del Campidoglio; 5 minutes' walk from Piazza Venezia
Key facts
1471Pope Sixtus IV gave bronzes to the Roman people — the museum's origin
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English WikipediaOldestpublic museum in the world
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English WikipediaShe-Wolfthe bronze Capitoline Wolf, symbol of Rome
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English Wikipedia2nd centuryMarcus Aurelius — the only surviving bronze equestrian statue of an emperor
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English Wikipedia≈ 2.5 mheight of Constantine's colossal head in the courtyard
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English WikipediaTabulariuman underground gallery with a view over the Roman Forum
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English WikipediaCapitoline Museums tickets and hours
The museums open daily from 9:30 to 19:30, with last entry at 18:30, and close on 1 May and 25 December. Tickets cost €15–19.50 depending on the source — more when exhibitions are on. Entry is free on the first Sunday of the month, and free for Rome residents since February 2026. Queues are rare; booking online saves ten minutes or so.
About the museum
The Capitoline Museums are considered the oldest public museum in the world: in 1471 Pope Sixtus IV donated a group of ancient bronzes, including the She-Wolf, to the people of Rome. The collection grew into one of the great holdings of classical sculpture and painting.
It fills two palaces on Michelangelo's Piazza del Campidoglio — the Palazzo dei Conservatori on the right and the Palazzo Nuovo on the left — linked by an underground passage through the Tabularium, ancient Rome's records office, whose windows look straight over the Roman Forum.
Highlights
- Capitoline She-Wolf — Rome's symbol; Romulus and Remus were added in the Renaissance.
- Equestrian Marcus Aurelius — the 2nd-century original in a glass-roofed hall; the piazza has a copy.
- Colossus of Constantine — a 2.5-metre head, a hand and a foot in the Conservatori courtyard.
- Spinario — the bronze boy pulling a thorn from his foot.
- Dying Gaul — a marble copy of a Greek bronze, Palazzo Nuovo.
- Capitoline Venus — in her own octagonal cabinet.
- Pinacoteca — Caravaggio's Fortune Teller and St John the Baptist, plus Titian and Rubens.
- Tabularium — the finest indoor view of the Forum.
The She-Wolf and Marcus Aurelius
The Capitoline Wolf is Rome's emblem: legend says a she-wolf suckled the city's founders, Romulus and Remus. Long thought Etruscan, from the 5th century BC, it may in fact be a medieval casting; the twins were added in the 15th century.
The bronze Marcus Aurelius is the only equestrian statue of a Roman emperor to survive — it escaped melting down because it was mistaken for Constantine, the first Christian emperor. The original now stands under a glass roof in the Exedra of Marcus Aurelius; the one on the piazza is an exact copy.
How to get to the Capitoline Museums
Tap a route to highlight it on the map.
Where are you starting from?
We’ll draw it on the map on foot and by taxi; metro and buses open in your maps app. Your location isn’t stored.
On foot
- Capitoline Hill is about 1 min away on foot.
- Vittoriano is about 5 min away on foot.
- Roman Forum is about 5 min away on foot.
More tips
- From Piazza Venezia, climb Michelangelo's Cordonata ramp — 5 minutes.
- Buses 40, 64, 70 and 87 and tram 8 stop at Piazza Venezia.
- From the Colosseum, 15 minutes' walk along Via dei Fori Imperiali.
- Metro line B to Colosseo or Cavour, then 15 minutes on foot.
Are the Capitoline Museums worth it?
Yes, if you love ancient sculpture: it's one of the world's best collections and far quieter than the Vatican. The She-Wolf, Marcus Aurelius and the Tabularium view of the Forum justify half a day. Combine it with the Vittoriano and the Roman Forum.
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Rome's museums: compare and choose
Museums in Rome rated by YesGo. Click a column header to sort.
| Sistine Chapel | 64 | 30 min | Vatican Museums ticket ≈ €25 | 45 min walk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Castel Sant'Angelo | 57 | 1 h 30 min | ≈ €15–20 | 30 min walk |
| Domus Aurea | 49 | 1 h 15 min | ≈ €18, with VR ≈ €26 | 18 min walk |
| Ara Pacis | 47 | 1 h | ≈ €13–15 | 28 min walk |
| San Luigi dei Francesi | 47 | 20 min | Free | 17 min walk |
| Galleria Borghese | 45 | 2 h | ≈ €18 | 43 min walk |
| Vatican Museums | 44 | 3 h | ≈ €25 | 2.8 km |
| Capitoline Museumsyou are here | 43 | 2 h 30 min | ≈ €15–19.50 | — |
| Baths of Diocletian | 42 | 1 h | Basilica free; museum ≈ €10–12 | 29 min walk |
| Galleria Doria Pamphilj | 39 | 1 h 30 min | ≈ €16–18 | 9 min walk |
| Palazzo Farnese | 39 | 1 h 15 min | Paid, booking only | 17 min walk |
| Imperial Fora | 38 | 1 h | Free from the street; museum ≈ €13–15 | 5 min walk |
| Palazzo Barberini | 37 | 2 h | ≈ €15 | 22 min walk |
| Villa Farnesina | 37 | 1 h | ≈ €12 | 22 min walk |
| Palazzo Massimo | 34 | 2 h | ≈ €10–12 combined ticket | 27 min walk |
| MAXXI | 32 | 2 h | ≈ €12–15 | 4.1 km |
| Ostia Antica | 31 | 3 h | ≈ €12–18 | 22.4 km |
Piazza Venezia and the Capitoline
The Vittoriano and its rooftop lift, then the Capitoline Hill and museums, and the Forum view from the terraces behind the city hall.
- Vittoriano1 h · Terraces free; lift ≈ €12–18
- 3 min walk from the previous stopCapitoline Hill30 min · Free
- 3 min walk from the previous stopCapitoline Museumsyou are here2 h 30 min · ≈ €15–19.50
- 4 min walk from the previous stopRoman Forum1 h 30 min · ≈ €18 with Colosseum
4 places · about 5 h 40 min with walks · 10 min on foot in total
Nearby and on the way
How to do it right
- The Tabularium has the best indoor Forum view.
- The original Marcus Aurelius is indoors; the piazza has a copy.
- Caffarelli terrace: coffee with a view of the domes.
- Queues are rare.
Questions
How much are Capitoline Museums tickets?
About €15–19.50 depending on exhibitions; free on the first Sunday of the month.
What are the Capitoline Museums opening hours?
Daily 9:30–19:30, last entry 18:30; closed 1 May and 25 December.
Where is the Capitoline Wolf?
In the Palazzo dei Conservatori, part of the Capitoline Museums.
What are the highlights?
The She-Wolf, the original Marcus Aurelius, Constantine's colossal head, the Dying Gaul, the Capitoline Venus, Caravaggio and the Tabularium view.
Why are they the oldest museums in the world?
Sixtus IV gave a collection of bronzes to the Roman people in 1471, creating the first public museum.
How long do you need?
2–2.5 hours.
Are the Capitoline Museums worth visiting?
Yes, especially for classical sculpture and the Forum view — and they're far less crowded than the Vatican.
Have you been? Was it worth your time?
1 — no, 5 — absolutely
Your vote counts towards the YesGo score.
Sources and fact-check
- Capitoline Museums official website (Sovrintendenza Capitolina)
- English Wikipedia, Capitoline Museums and Capitoline Wolf
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