Urban Archaeology and the Museum of Rome in the Middle Ages
The museum route is articulated within the various buildings that succeeded each other in the area across different historical phases. The section “Archaeology and History of an Urban Landscape“ illustrates the history of the complex from antiquity to the 20th century: from the constructions of Balbus, to the ruralization of the urban landscape in the 5th century, to the construction of churches and medieval houses in the area, to the building of the Conservatory of Santa Caterina della Rosa which, from the mid-16th to the early decades of the 17th century, occupied most of the area.
The section “Rome from Antiquity to the Middle Ages” illustrates the transformations of the city between the late antiquity and the early Middle Ages (5th-9th century).
The most substantial core of the exhibition consists of the contexts of materials found during the excavations in the Crypta, including the late antique and early medieval deposit from the exedra which, in the 7th century phase, yielded thousands of objects, especially ceramics but also fragments of glass objects, coins, lead seals and, moreover, hundreds of metal, bone, ivory, precious stones, and work tools pertaining to a workshop producing luxury items for clothing and ornamentation. The contexts from the Crypta are complemented by contemporary finds from the historical collections of Roman museums and from contexts found during urban excavations in recent decades.
Accessibility
The four locations of the National Museum are 100% accessible.
Internal mobility is ensured by elevators and ramps.
Wheelchairs are available on request.
Suitable restrooms are available.
