At the beginning of the 20th century, the Capodimonte Palace became the residence of the Dukes of Aosta, and in 1920, it was transferred to state ownership. After the war, the building was designated as a museum, which opened in 1957 following extensive renovations and the transfer of medieval and modern art collections previously displayed at the National Archaeological Museum of Naples.
Inside the imposing rectangular building, featuring three inner courtyards, around 20,000 artworks are spread over three floors.
Main Floor of Capodimonte
The main floor houses, in the southern wing, the Historic Apartment—a splendid testament to the tastes of Naples’ rulers, from Charles of Bourbon to his son Ferdinand, and the Napoleonic interlude with the Murat couple who furnished it with French pieces. Highlights include monumental rooms (the Room of the Cradle, the Ballroom, the Camuccini Hall) and more intimate chambers (the remarkable Porcelain Boudoir, crafted between 1757 and 1759 for the Royal Palace of Portici by the Royal Factory of Capodimonte and moved here in 1866, and the Pompeian-style Bedroom).
Across the building, the Farnese Gallery displays the extraordinary collection begun by Pope Paul III, expanded in Parma and Piacenza by the ducal branch of the family and later inherited by Charles of Bourbon.
The collection spans paintings, sculptures, drawings, and extraordinary artifacts across 23 rooms, arranged chronologically by school. Alongside the major Italian schools from the 15th to the 17th century are a significant selection of Flemish paintings, the Velletri collection of Cardinal Stefano Borgia, and rare objects displayed in a “cabinet of curiosities.”
The tour continues through the Porcelain Gallery, featuring valuable pieces from the Royal Factories of Capodimonte and Naples, the Farnesian Armory, and the eclectic late 19th-century De Ciccio Collection, which boasts majolica, porcelain, Venetian glass, ivories, enamels, sacred vestments, fabrics, silver, small bronzes, Sicilian nativity scenes, and archaeological finds.
Second Floor of Capodimonte
The Neapolitan Gallery on the second floor showcases a vast collection, partly sourced from major religious institutions of Naples and its province, illustrating the evolution of Neapolitan art from the 14th to the 18th centuries.
Four rooms focus on the d’Avalos collection, which features an exquisite series of Flemish tapestries, paintings, embroidery, miniatures, prints, and arms assembled by Marquis of Pescara Alfonso II and his lineage. Meanwhile, the 19th-Century Gallery presents works from post-unification southern Italy, supplemented by pieces from non-Neapolitan and foreign artists.
Between the second and third floors is the Contemporary Art Collection, established from 1978, when Alberto Burri, after his own exhibition, donated one of his works (the Great Black Cretto), later joined by those of other renowned artists, from Warhol to Kounellis, Paladino to Sol Lewitt, Michelangelo Pistoletto, Daniel Buren, Joseph Kosuth, and more.
Prints and Drawings Cabinet
From the southern courtyard, a helical staircase leads to the Cabinet of Drawings and Prints. Here are preserved 2,500 drawings and 25,000 prints originating from the Farnese core, alongside works by artists from Emilia, Florence, Genoa, Venice, Rome, and Naples, culminating with masterpieces from the collection of graphic works—about 20,000 items, mainly prints, spread over 227 volumes, one dedicated to the drawings of Count Firmian, acquired by the Bourbons in 1782.
Information about Capodimonte Museum
Via Miano 2, 80131 Naples – Tel. 081.7499111 – 081.749915 – 848.800288
Capodimonte Museum Tickets
€ 12 full price
€ 8 reduced for visitors aged 18 to 25
Free admission for visitors under 18
€ 8 reduced for visitors aged 18 to 25
Free admission for visitors under 18
Capodimonte Museum and Park Opening Hours
The Capodimonte Museum is open daily except Wednesdays, from 8:30 am to 7:30 pm. Last admission at 6:30 pm. Closing procedures and visitor exit begin at 7:00 pm. The museum is closed every Wednesday, January 1, and December 25. The Wood of Capodimonte is closed on December 25, January 1, and Easter Monday (April 17).
