Crowds outside the Vatican Museums might convince you that every corner of Rome is clogged, yet nothing could be further from the truth. We’ve rounded up the seven best underrated museums in Rome that every art and history lover should visit between the headline acts.
Top Rome Museums That Are Empty
Yes, the Vatican and Colosseum live up to the hype—but they’re not the whole story. These quieter museums in Rome are just as central, far less crowded, and offer an entirely different experience.
#1: Palazzo Altemps
📍 Address: Piazza di Sant’Apollinare, 46
I’d argue that Palazzo Altemps is Rome’s most overlooked museum. It started as a Renaissance palace for a powerful cardinal, and now holds one of the finest collections of ancient sculpture in the city. Each piece is displayed exactly as it would have been centuries ago.
Why we love it: You can trace collecting history room by room, from Greek masterpieces to 19th-century market finds, without ever queuing.
Palazzo Altemps Tickets & Hours
Palazzo Altemps is one of four branches of the National Roman Museum, so the same week-long €15 ticket also gets you into Palazzo Massimo and Terme di Diocleziano.
Prices:
- Full price: €15
- Reduced: €2 (EU citizens ages 18–25)
- Free: Under 18
Hours:
- Tuesday – Sunday: 9:30 AM to 7 PM (last entry at 6 PM)
- Closed Mondays
- Free entry on the first Sunday of the month
Top Things to See at Palazzo Altemps
- Ludovisi Throne: A rare 5th-century BC marble relief showing the birth of Venus
- The Suicidal Gaul: A powerful Roman copy of a Hellenistic original
- Ludovisi Dionysus: A colossal, dramatic statue with intricate detail
👉 Book a Palazzo Altemps private tour for the full story behind the sculptures.
#2: Palazzo Barberini
📍 Address: Via delle Quattro Fontane 13
I like to think of Palazzo Barberini as a shortcut through five centuries of art history. A block above Piazza Barberini, this Baroque palace walks you from medieval icons to Caravaggio and Titian, all under soaring columns and among gardens once reserved for cardinals.
Why we love it: Nowhere else in Rome lets you compare a Titian myth, a Caravaggio blood-bath, and a Bernini staircase on a single ticket.
Palazzo Barberini Tickets & Hours
One ticket gets you into both Palazzo Corsini and Palazzo Barberini.
Prices:
- Full price: €15
- Reduced: €2 (EU citizens ages 18–25)
- Free: Under 18
Hours
- Tuesday – Sunday: 10 AM to 7 PM (last entry 6 PM)
- Closed Mondays
- Free entry on the first Sunday of the month
Top Things to See at Palazzo Barberini
- Triumph of Divine Providence: A 600 m² ceiling fresco where Barberini bees swirl around allegories of papal power
- Bernini Staircase: Monumental square staircase that announces grandeur from the first step
- Judith and Holofernes: Caravaggio’s knife-edge scene of biblical beheading in stark chiaroscuro
👉 See it with context: Palazzo Barberini Private Tour
#3: Palazzo Corsini
📍 Address: Via della Lungara 10
This is the quieter, more personal half of the National Gallery of Ancient Art. One ticket gets you into both Palazzo Corsini and Palazzo Barberini, but they offer very different experiences. Where Barberini impresses with Baroque ceilings and monumental flair, Corsini feels like you’ve stepped into someone’s art-filled home from the 1700s.
Why we love it: It’s one of the most peaceful places in Rome to see major works by Caravaggio, Guido Reni, and Van Dyck.
Palazzo Corsini Tickets & Hours
Prices:
- Full price: €15
- Reduced: €2 (EU citizens ages 18–25)
- Free: Under 18
Hours
- Tuesday – Sunday: 10 AM to 7 PM (last entry 6 PM)
- Closed Mondays
- Free entry on the first Sunday of the month
Remember, one ticket gets you into both Palazzo Barberini and Palazzo Corsini.
Top Things to See at Palazzo Corsini
- St John the Baptist: Caravaggio’s youthful saint lounging with a ram
- Landscape Gallery: Sweeping river vistas by Salvator Rosa and Claude Lorrain
- Bamboccianti Room: Genre scenes of Roman street life in miniature detail
👉 Join our Palazzo Barberini Private Tour, then use your Gallery of Ancient Art ticket to explore Palazzo Corsini.
#4: Galleria Borghese
📍 Address: Piazzale Scipione Borghese 5
It’s amazing how many people visit Villa Borghese without realizing one of Rome’s best museums is hidden right inside it. Galleria Borghese is small but packed with big names like Bernini, Caravaggio, and Titian—all set within a lavish 17th-century villa.
Why we love it: Small enough to enjoy without burnout, and packed with some of Italy’s greatest hits.
Galleria Borghese Tickets & Hours
Prices
- Full price: €15
- Reduced: €2 (EU citizens ages 18–25)
- Free: Under 18
Hours
- Tuesday – Sunday: 9 AM to 7 PM (last entry 5:45 PM)
- Closed Mondays
Note: €2 reservation fee required for all
Top Things to See at Galleria Borghese
- Apollo and Daphne: Bernini’s marble masterpiece that captures transformation in mid-flight
- The Rape of Proserpina: Bernini’s jaw-dropping display of emotion and anatomy in stone
- Bernini’s David: A dynamic, twisting take on the biblical hero mid-sling
👉 Reserve ahead: Galleria Borghese tours
#5: Galleria Doria Pamphilij
📍 Address: Via del Corso 305
It’s easy to miss Galleria Doria Pamphilij—its entrance blends in with the storefronts on Via del Corso. But step inside, and you’ll find yourself in a private palace still owned by one of Rome’s oldest noble families, complete with chandeliers, ceiling frescoes, and some of the most important portraits and paintings in the city.
Why we love it: It feels like discovering a secret, one with Caravaggio, Velázquez, and a gold-drenched mirror gallery.
Galleria Doria Pamphilij Tickets & Hours
Prices
- Full price: €16
- Reduced: €13 (students and over 65)
- Free: Children under 12
- Online booking fee: €1
Hours
- Monday, Tuesday, Thursday: 9 AM – 7 PM (last entry 6 PM)
- Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 10 AM – 8 PM (last entry 7 PM)
- Closed Wednesday
Top Things to See at Galleria Doria Pamphilij
- Penitent Magdalene (Caravaggio): A raw, quiet take on repentance, stripped of traditional grandeur
- Flight into Egypt (Annibale Carracci): A soft, lyrical landscape framing the Holy Family’s journey
- The Gallery of Mirrors: A gold-trimmed hallway inspired by Versailles, lined with chandeliers and family portrait
👉 See it with an expert: Private Doria Pamphilj Tour
#6 Palazzo Massimo
📍 Address: Largo di Villa Peretti 1
Don’t let the drab exterior fool you—Palazzo Massimo is one of the most breathtaking museums in Rome. It’s part of the National Roman Museum (same ticket as Palazzo Altemps) and holds exquisite mosaics, rare bronzes, and some of the best-preserved ancient frescoes anywhere in the world.
Why we love it: It’s air-conditioned, uncrowded, and right by the Termini Station. Store your luggage and squeeze in some Roman culture before your train.
Palazzo Massimo Tickets & Hours
Tickets are valid for one week from the day of your visit.
Prices:
- Full price: €15
- Reduced: €2 (EU citizens ages 18–25)
- Free: Under 18
Hours:
- Tuesday – Sunday: 9:30 AM to 7 PM (last entry at 6 PM)
- Closed Mondays
- Free entry on the first Sunday of the month
Top Things to See at Palazzo Massimo
- Livia’s Garden Room: A frescoed underground oasis from an imperial villa, painted with birds, trees, and flowers in full bloom
- Boxer at Rest: Bronze statue of a battered athlete, complete with cauliflower ear and copper-inlaid wounds
- Sleeping Hermaphrodite: A sensual marble figure with a surprise twist
👉 Cool off near Termini Station with a Private Palazzo Massimo Tour
#7: Terme di Diocleziano (Baths of Diocletian)
📍 Address: Viale Enrico de Nicola 79
From the street, it looks like a half-ruined train shed, but head inside and you’re roaming the biggest bath complex ever built in Rome. This site is one of four branches of the National Roman Museum, so the same week-long €15 ticket you used at Palazzo Altemps or Palazzo Massimo gets you in here too.
Why we love it: You can wander barrel-vaulted halls the length of a football field without rubbing shoulders with anyone.
Baths of Diocletian Tickets & Hours
Part of the National Roman Museum.
Prices:
- Full price: €15
- Reduced: €2 (EU citizens ages 18–25)
- Free: Under 18
Hours:
- Tuesday – Sunday: 9:30 AM to 7 PM (last entry at 6 PM)
- Closed Mondays
- Free entry on the first Sunday of the month
Top Things to See at Baths of Diocletian
- Natatio Pool: The open-air swimming court that once held 3,000 bathers
- Cloister of Michelangelo: A Renaissance courtyard with rows of ancient sculptures, designed by the master himself
- Granite Bathtubs: Ten-ton spa tubs carved for emperors’ private soaks
👉 Treat yourself after Terme di Diocleziano—join our Trastevere evening food tour for street food and gelato.
Tour the Classics, Then Escape the Crowds
Join a tour to take the stress out of navigating Rome’s busiest sites. Then, refresh over a spritz before slipping into a quiet museum to explore like a local.
Privileged Entrance Vatican Tour with Sistine Chapel | 3 hrs | €€
Early access, Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter’s without the chaos.
Exclusive Sistine Chapel After Hours | 2 hrs | €€€€
No crowds, just silence—and Michelangelo.
Rome in a Day | 7 hrs | €€€
Colosseum, Forum, Vatican, Trevi, Pantheon—Rome’s greatest hits in one curated loop.
Semi-Private Colosseum Underground + Forum & Palatine | 3 hrs | €€€
Only 7 guests, arena + hypogeum, and stories the info boards don’t share.
Special Access Arena Floor via Gladiator’s Gate | 3 hrs | €€
Enter where combatants once did and grab your iconic center-stage selfie.
Underrated Museums in Rome That Are Perfect on a Rainy Day
Several of Rome’s quieter museums double as great rainy-day activities. Palazzo Massimo and Palazzo Altemps are both part of the National Roman Museum and have spacious indoor galleries with mosaics, sculptures, and frescoes. Galleria Doria Pamphilj is also fully enclosed, with art-filled halls and no outdoor courtyards to worry about in bad weather.
Frequently Asked Questions
The National Roman Museum includes Palazzo Massimo, Palazzo Altemps, Baths of Diocletian, and Crypta Balbi. One ticket covers all four and is valid for seven days.
The National Gallery of Ancient Art includes Palazzo Barberini and Palazzo Corsini. One ticket gives access to both.
Palazzo Altemps is a top pick for a quiet museum experience in Rome, with ancient sculptures in a peaceful setting. Palazzo Massimo and Galleria Doria Pamphilij are also great low-crowd options.
Yes—Palazzo Massimo, Palazzo Altemps, and Galleria Doria Pamphilij are fully indoors and ideal for rainy days in Rome.
Final Thoughts
The best Rome trips mix iconic landmarks with lesser-known gems. After you’ve ticked off the Vatican and Colosseum, step into one of these museums and see a different side of the city—one that’s just as compelling, with a lot more breathing room.
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