Rome Art from Street Murals to Gallery Masterpieces
Where to See the Finest Art in Rome?
Wherever you go in Rome, you’re always in the vicinity of great art, ranging from street murals to gallery masterpieces. Whether it’s classical masterpieces on a gallery wall, or a giant street art mural on the side of a building, ancient sculptures in an exhibition, or statues in the city’s piazzas, magnificent and historic art surrounds you throughout the city.
Rome’s museums and galleries house some of the world’s most famous works from the world’s most famous artists in some of the world’s most famous buildings. And the masterpieces are not limited to the indoors; Rome is home to world-famous street art and graffiti, too.
1. Vatican Museums
A must-see for any visitor to Rome
Good for: Couples, Photo
Home to one of the world’s largest art collections, the Vatican Museums are among the largest and most popular museums in the world. They attract nearly 7 million visitors a year to view their magnificent collection of historic artworks, which famously includes Michelangelo’s awe-inspiring Sistine Chapel ceiling and The Last Judgment.
The collection comprises 70,000 items, although just 20,000 are on display at a time, and spans ancient Egyptian, Greek, and Roman items, Renaissance masterpieces, and modern religious art. Visitors typically walk 4.3 miles to get through all 54 galleries, with the average visit taking 4 to 5 hours. Secure advance tickets to avoid the long lines and wait times, especially in peak season.
Location: Viale Vaticano, 00165 Roma, Vatican City, Italy
Open: Monday–Saturday from 8 am to 8 pm (closed on Sundays)
Phone: +39 06 69883145
Vatican Museums
2. Borghese Gallery and Gardens
Classic works as the artists intended them to be seen
Good for: Couples, Photo
The Borghese Gallery and Gardens are famously called the “queen of all private collections in the world.” The historic Renaissance and Baroque-era artworks housed in the elegant 17th-century villa include renowned masterpieces by Titian, Bernini, Correggio, Caravaggio, and Canova. Most of the paintings and sculptures remain in the elegant spaces they were originally designed to be displayed, enhancing the viewing experience.
Among the notable pieces on display are Caravaggio’s paintings Boy with a Basket of Fruit and David with the Head of Goliath, Bernini’s sculpture, Apollo and Daphne, and Raphael’s Deposition. Visitors can also relax in the surrounding park and gardens, which have been dubbed Rome’s “green heart.” Be sure to make your mandatory reservation in advance.
Location: Piazzale Scipione Borghese, 5, 00197 Roma RM, Italy
Open: Tuesday–Sunday from 9 am to 7 pm (closed on Mondays)
Phone: +39 06 8413979
Borghese Gallery and Gardens
3. Capitoline Museums
Home to iconic sculptures depicting Rome’s ancient history
Good for: History, Families, Couples
The Capitoline Museums are considered one of the world’s oldest public museums, founded in 1471. They sit in historic Piazza del Campidoglio, in a commanding location on top of Rome’s Capitoline Hill with spectacular views of the Forum.
Within the walls of the 2 palaces, you can find ancient Roman sculptures. These include the famous Marcus Aurelius equestrian statue, believed to be the only surviving original of a Roman Emperor, and the Capitoline Wolf, the iconic bronze sculpture of the she-wolf with Rome’s founding fathers, Romulus and Remus. Other must-see sculptures include the Colossus of Constantine, the Dying Gaul, Capitoline Venus, and Bernini’s Medusa. Visit the Pinacoteca Capitolina painting gallery to see works by Titian, Rubens, and Caravaggio.
Location: Piazza del Campidoglio, 1, 00186 Roma RM, Italy
Open: Daily from 9.30 am to 7.30 pm
Phone: +39 06 0608
Capitoline Museums
4. MAXXI – National Museum of 21st Century Arts
Contemporary classics housed in an architectural marvel
Good for: History, Couples
Designed by architect Zaha Hadid, the MAXXI – National Museum of 21st Century Arts is an award-winning architectural work of art in itself, thanks to its futuristic design and flowing lines.
Its collections feature more than 400 pieces from top names like Alighiero Boetti, Francesco Clemente, William Kentridge, Mario Merz, Anish Kapoor, and Gerhard Richter, with works ranging from the 1970s to 2000s. The museum’s flowing corridors, suspended staircases, and open, light-filled galleries complement the rotating exhibitions, which include interactive installations, multimedia, and digital artworks designed to challenge traditional art boundaries and perceptions. Explore these dynamic spaces and discover new treasures around each corner.
Location: Via Guido Reni, 4a, 00196 Roma RM, Italy
Open: Tuesday–Sunday from 11 am to 7 pm (closed on Mondays)
Phone: +39 06 3201954
MAXXI – National Museum of 21st Century Arts
5. National Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art
Cool contemporary classics from famed Italian and international artists
Good for: Food, Photo
National Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art houses Italy’s largest collection of modern and contemporary art from the 19th to 21st centuries. It features around 20,000 stylistically diverse artworks, including paintings, drawings, sculptures, and installations.
Founded in 1883, its exhibits trace Italy’s artistic evolution through the neoclassical, modern, and contemporary periods and embrace the works of Italian masters such as Giorgio de Chirico, Giacomo Balla, Umberto Boccioni, Amedeo Modigliani, Lucio Fontana, and Alberto Burri. Works by international artists complement the homegrown artists, rounding out an impressively comprehensive coverage of major modern art movements. Admire renowned pieces by Cezanne, Degas, Duchamp, Kandinsky, Mondrian, Monet, Jackson Pollock, Rodin, and Van Gogh.
Location: Viale delle Belle Arti, 131, 00197 Roma RM, Italy
Open: Daily from 10 am to 5 pm
Phone: +39 06 322981
National Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art
6. Piazza Navona
Historic square, which once hosted athletes and gladiators
Good for: History, Photo
One of the most famous and beautiful squares in Italy, Piazza Navona is both a historical architectural site and a modern, living, breathing art space. Originally commissioned in the year 86 by Emperor Domitian for athletics competitions, and briefly used for gladiatorial contests, the elongated square is now a busy hub and home to countless cafes, street performers, and portrait artists.
At its heart is Bernini’s spectacular Fountain of the Four Rivers centerpiece with its distinctive obelisk, as well as 2 smaller fountains designed by a former apprentice of Michelangelo. It’s surrounded by palaces dating to the Renaissance and Baroque eras, and the breathtaking church of Sant’Agnese in Agone. Don’t forget to snap some holiday selfies against this stunning backdrop.
Location: Piazza Navona, 00186 Roma RM, Italy
Piazza Navona
7. Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore
All that glitters here is gold
Good for: History, Photo
Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore is one of the 4 major papal basilicas of Rome and one of the most famous churches dedicated to the Virgin Mary. It dates back to the year 432 and its foundation by Pope Sixtus III.
Famous for its dazzling 5th-century golden mosaics depicting Old Testament scenes and the life of Jesus Christ in its nave and apse, it also boasts an ornate coffered ceiling which was reportedly gilded with the first gold brought back from the Americas and donated by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain. Take in sacred art that spans over 1,500 years of Christian artistic expression, from ancient Byzantine mosaics to Renaissance masterpieces, all within an active place of worship.
Location: P.za di Santa Maria Maggiore, 00100 Roma RM, Italy
Open: Daily from 7 am to 7 pm
Phone: +39 06 69886800
Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore
8. Santa Maria Sopra Minerva
Art classics in a distinctive and one-of-a-kind church
Good for: Photo, Budget
Dating back to 1280, Santa Maria Sopra Minerva is Rome’s only medieval Gothic church, quite a rarity in a city dominated by the Renaissance and Baroque periods. It houses one of the city’s most extraordinary collections of art from those latter periods behind its comparatively plain exterior.
Inside, you can find a wealth of artistic treasures, including Michelangelo’s Christ the Redeemer, and the tomb of Fra Angelico, as well as 15th-century frescoes by Filippino Lippi in the Carafa Chapel, painted in honor of the Virgin Mary and Saint Thomas Aquinas, and cited as a masterpiece of early High Renaissance fresco work. Outside, visit the adjacent square that hosts Bernini’s playful Elephant and Obelisk sculpture.
Location: Piazza della Minerva, 42, 00186 Roma RM, Italy
Open: Monday–Friday from 6.55 am to 7 pm, Saturday from 10 am to 12.30 pm and from 3.30 pm to 7 pm, Sunday from 8.10 am to 12.30 pm and from 3.30 pm to 7 pm
Phone: +39 33 37468785
Santa Maria Sopra Minerva
9. Ostiense Street Art District
An industrial district regenerated and revitalized by street art
Good for: Photo, Budget
Once full of empty industrial buildings, Rome’s Ostiense district gained a new lease of life when it was transformed into an open-air gallery by dozens of graffiti and street artists.
It’s now home to some of the most creative contemporary artwork, all supported and embraced by local institutions and artistic initiatives. Among the memorable highlights is BLU’s massive mural I mille volti di BLU (The thousand faces of BLU), which covers an entire building facade with colorful humanoid faces, and JB Rock’s Wall of Fame, which comprises giant portraits of 26 world icons. Witness how urban artwork from a range of Italian and international artists has helped revitalize this once-forgotten neighborhood into a creative hotspot of the capital.
Location: Via dei Magazzini Generali, 10, 00154 Roma RM, Italy
Ostiense Street Art District
10. Tor Marancia Street Art
Transformational urban art up close and personal
Good for: Photo, Budget
Tor Marancia Street Art area is located off the traditional tourist track, approximately 6 km from the city center of Rome. You can find a remarkable selection of street art where artists from a variety of countries have, in careful collaboration with local residents, transformed a once neglected public-housing area into a vibrant urban canvas with the creation of a remarkable open-air gallery of distinctive, thought-provoking art.
These several-story-high murals are completely free to view and easy to locate due to their impressive scale, and have made this area to the southeast of the city center, Rome’s most photographed street art location. To learn more about the art in the area, book a guided tour led by residents.
Location: Viale Tor Marancia, 63, 00147 Roma RM, Italy
Tor Marancia Street Art
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