Does anyone know which museums are relatively effectively air-conditioned in Rome and which are not? Mille grazie for the hellp.

I don't think you will find much AC. Are there particular museums you plan to visit?

One of the problems with air conditioning in museums is that the spaces are in large old buildings and therefore difficult to cool effectively. Another problem is that some art should not be cooled, but rather kept at the same temperature to which it is accustomed. I wouldn't expect to find it anywhere . . . maybe the Borghese, but I can't say for sure.

(This question actually made me laugh. I don't expect to find effective air conditioning much of anywhere in Italy. To find it is a bonus.)

And even if there is AC such as in a restaurant, many times it's not turned on.

ellen- I was trying to think whether any of the museums I've been in had AC, but couldn't remember any of them having it. I've been to Rome several times during the summer, including the heat wave of 2003, but just recall open windows, not AC.

Have never seen it in a museum in Italy. Some restaurants have decent AC. When booking hotels we always make sure that AC is controlled within the room (otherwise you many get the kind that lower the 90 degree tempo by about 5 degrees.)

Here is a list of museums that may help . MuseumPalazzo Venezia (air-conditioned), the Corsini Gallery, the (air-conditioned) and the Galleria Borghese (also air-conditioned). the (air-conditioned) Museum of Musical Instruments at the church of Sant T Croce in Gerusalemme. Capotine Museum and Ara Paci havesome spaces air conditioned

Also open: the National Gallery of Modern Art (air-conditioned),.

Well, they may list themselves as being air-conditioned, but I'd never take that as the truth.

I wouldn't count on AC much of anywhere in Italy.

Many museums are in stone/marble buildings with thick walls that retain the cool air. Like churches, they will be cooler inside than the temperature outside. They also have very high ceilings.

If you're concerned about heat in Rome I would suggest not going between mid May and mid September.

Thanks for all the suggestions. We usually don't travel in Italy after May or before October. Our original plan was to go in November (the Rome trip is just a short vacation before we go to see my husband's father in Genoa), but an abruptly decided mandatory shutdown of DH's company in early July changed everything around. We are staying in a hotel that we stayed in before once in late June (breaking our usual rule for a special occasion), Due Torri, which we remember as having had satisfactory air conditioning.

Suz123nj--thanks for the specific list. I notice that you did not include the Vatican museum. We plan to skip the Sistine Chapel this time, but hoped to spend some time in the Vatican museum itself. Our current general plan of action is to go out for walks very early in the morning, then go to (hopefully) air-conditioned museums, followed by air-conditioned restaurants lunches, nap and reading back in room and out again for walks in the evening when it will be cooler. In Genoa, we will just sweat it out.

Someone asked what specific museums we had in mind. We have been to most major ones and are deciding which ones to revisit (the Vatican was high on our list). We are also considering the Villa Giulia museum of Etruscan art, which we have never seen, the Capitolene on the Campedoglio which is one of our favorites and the National Museum of Rome (near train station), which we also have never seen. We are debating returning to the Galleria Borghese (my vote yes, my Italian husband's a lukewarm no).

Again, mille grazie a tutti.

The Vatican Museums, including the Sistine Chapel, are not air conditioned and are extremely hot and stuffy in the summer. I've been to most of the museums you list and recall that only the Borghese was air conditioned (and not that well).

The Vatican Museums have Italian ac - open windows.

Thanks for the warnings about the Vatican museum. If we go, we will steel ourselves for the experience.