The nineteenth-century Palazzo Massimo, National Roman Museum of Rome in neorenaissance style, near Termini Station, houses one of the most important collections of classical art in the world.
On the museum’s four floors, sculptures, frescoes, mosaics, coins, and goldsmith works document the evolution of Roman artistic culture from the late Republican age to the late antique period (2nd century BC – 5th century AD), through an exhibition itinerary in which the history, myths, and daily life of Rome come to life.
In the rooms on the ground floor, splendid original Greek works found in Rome are displayed, such as the Boxer, the Hellenistic Prince, and the Niobid from the Horti Sallustiani, as well as portraiture from the republican and imperial ages, culminating in the statue of Augustus Pontifex Maximus.
On the first floor, famous masterpieces of statuary are presented, including the Discobolus Lancellotti, the Girl of Anzio, and the Sleeping Hermaphroditus, and magnificent sarcophagi, such as that of Portonaccio, with a high-relief battle scene.
On the second floor, frescoed walls and floor mosaics document the domestic decoration of prestigious Roman residences. The basement houses the extensive numismatic collection, as well as household items, jewelry, and the Grottarossa mummy.
