Rome - Capitoline or Nat'l Museum of Rome
 

If you had to choose between the Capitoline Museums and the Nat'l Museum of Rome... which would you choose.

I'm trying not to overload ourselves with Art too early (Rome is our first city) and we are already doing the vatican museums and the villa borghese.

THANKS!

Lisa

How many days do you have in Rome? You're idea to vary your activities is a good one, especially if it means you will have to combine one of these museums with another on the same day over a short visit. It sounds like you're ready to skip these without recommendations from this board, so there's your answer.

By the way, I've visited Rome perhaps 10 times and still have not visited either of the museums you mention . . . and I am very interested in art.

thanks Ellen, we have room to fit in maybe one of these without being overloaded, so I'm trying to decide which of the two I should see.

However *IF* people think I can miss both of these and not miss much, we may skip them since my husband is worried about site-seeing overload.

Any suggestions welcome.

There are good websites with info on both. Wikipedia also has enough info on each for you to take a look at them and decide what things most interest you. Capitoline has a good website. museicapitolini.org Don't know if the National does.

Lisa, I can't comment on the National Museum but we spent our rainy day at the Capitoline Museum and thoroughly enjoyed it--it was a nice break from the very crowded Vatican museum and Borghese Galleries. But I probably enjoyed the Gallerie Doria Pamphilj most of all--it's a charming palazzo filled with paintings and we practically had the place to ourself--

Don't know if you will have kids with you, but for anyone reading this thread who does, I've taken lots of kids to most of the major museums in Rome and for some reason they seem to really like the Capitolini best.

The National Museum of Rome has at least four different buildings. The largest is Palazzo Massimo near Termini, which has extensive displays of reassembled Roman mosaics and frescoes (if you've been watching "Rome" on HBO you'll recognize them). Also a vast collection of Italian coins dating from thousands of years ago to the current Euro. I recommend it if you want a look at the art of ancient Rome as change from the Renaissance art you'll be seeing elsewhere.

Another vote for Pallzo Massimo...in addition to its wonderfully evocative displays of things past, it is cool, quiet, serene and uncrowded.

Well a lot of good you all have done! :)Now I want to go to both!

Thanks for the links... they have been very helpful.

I love the Capitoline, but I'd just play this by ear and see if you're nearby one or the other and feel like going in.

If you want more art but shorter viewing times/less commitment, make sure to pop into a few churches. Your husband could even sit outside and possibly enjoy a glass of wine at a nearby cafe while you go inside.

Hi Itilley,

Another vote for the capitoline - my kids loved it as did we.

Plus at the top of the steps there is the church of st. maria aracoeli [wreathed in wisteria when we were there] - I still treasure my photo of the bride we saw trudging her way up in her gown clearly cursing the idiot who'd suggested getting married there!

Good luck!

regards, ann

I wouldnt want to miss going up on the Capitoline Hill - its one of the most exciting spaces in Rome with the Michelangelo Piazza ensemble the Marcus Aurelius statue, even if a copy (including the Aracoeli church) and a great entree to the Forum, walking down the hill - its been 20 yrs since Ive been in the museum - its a good one but Id rank Palazzo Massimo higher as a museum visit - there is some truly unmissable stuff there from the House of Livia to the greek sculptures.

When you think about art in rome remember that Museums are in a way the least of it - make sure you enter some of the ancient and baroque churches to see wonders of architecture and art. Nr Pal Massimo, for example, spend a few minutes in Santa Maria degli angeli (Michelangelo's transformation of a bit of diocletians bath's into a huge church) and Santa Maria della Victoria (containing Bernini's amazing St. Theresa in Ecstacy.

the whole city is so rich - a walk book can be of more help that a "top sights" type approach in really coming to appreciate the city and its layers.

Enjoy!

...and the views of the Forum from the second floor of the Palazzo Nuovo at the Capitoline are amazing.