Unofficial visitor guide · Rome
Rome museums: free first Sundays and Monday closures
On the first Sunday of each month many of Rome's state and city museums are free, and on Mondays several of them are closed. Here is which is which, with each museum's own page linked.
An independent visitor page: we are not affiliated with any of these museums.
Free on the first Sunday of the month
State museums take part in Italy's "Domenica al museo"; Rome's city museums run their own free first Sunday. Some need a booking even when entry is free.
| Museum | First Sunday |
|---|---|
| Galleria Borghese Booking required, €2 booking fee | Free, book ahead |
| Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Free tickets in order of arrival at the Piazza del Colosseo ticket office; no arena, underground or upper levels | Free |
| Pantheon Free tickets at the ticket desks on the day | Free |
| Castel Sant'Angelo | Free |
| Palazzo Barberini and Galleria Corsini Booking recommended | Free |
| Museo Nazionale Romano (Palazzo Massimo and other sites) | Free |
| La GNAM (National Gallery of Modern Art) | Free, book ahead |
| Capitoline Museums Free tickets at the ticket office or by calling 060608 | Free |
| Ara Pacis Free tickets at the ticket office or by calling 060608 | Free |
| Vatican Museums Closed; free on the last Sunday of the month instead | Not free |
| Villa Farnesina Closed on Sundays except the second Sunday | Not free |
cultura.gov.it: Domenica al museo · gebart.it: Galleria Borghese tickets · colosseo.it: free Sundays · cultura.gov.it: Pantheon · barberinicorsini.org · museicapitolini.org: free entry · arapacis.it · museivaticani.va: opening hours · villafarnesina.it
Which museums are open on Monday?
Monday is the usual closing day for Rome's state museums. These are open: the Vatican, the Capitoline Museums, the Colosseum area, the Pantheon, Ara Pacis, Palazzo Doria Pamphilj and Villa Farnesina.
| Museum | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vatican Museums Open on the last Sunday of the month | Monday: open | Tuesday: open | Wednesday: open | Thursday: open | Friday: open | Saturday: open | Sunday: closed |
| Galleria Borghese | Monday: closed | Tuesday: open | Wednesday: open | Thursday: open | Friday: open | Saturday: open | Sunday: open |
| Capitoline Museums | Monday: open | Tuesday: open | Wednesday: open | Thursday: open | Friday: open | Saturday: open | Sunday: open |
| Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine | Monday: open | Tuesday: open | Wednesday: open | Thursday: open | Friday: open | Saturday: open | Sunday: open |
| Pantheon | Monday: open | Tuesday: open | Wednesday: open | Thursday: open | Friday: open | Saturday: open | Sunday: open |
| Castel Sant'Angelo | Monday: closed | Tuesday: open | Wednesday: open | Thursday: open | Friday: open | Saturday: open | Sunday: open |
| Palazzo Barberini | Monday: closed | Tuesday: open | Wednesday: open | Thursday: open | Friday: open | Saturday: open | Sunday: open |
| Galleria Corsini Monday afternoons until 28 December 2026 | Monday: part of the day | Tuesday: open | Wednesday: open | Thursday: open | Friday: open | Saturday: open | Sunday: open |
| Museo Nazionale Romano (Palazzo Massimo) | Monday: closed | Tuesday: open | Wednesday: open | Thursday: open | Friday: open | Saturday: open | Sunday: open |
| MAXXI | Monday: closed | Tuesday: open | Wednesday: open | Thursday: open | Friday: open | Saturday: open | Sunday: open |
| La GNAM | Monday: closed | Tuesday: open | Wednesday: open | Thursday: open | Friday: open | Saturday: open | Sunday: open |
| Ara Pacis | Monday: open | Tuesday: open | Wednesday: open | Thursday: open | Friday: open | Saturday: open | Sunday: open |
| Palazzo Doria Pamphilj | Monday: open | Tuesday: open | Wednesday: closed | Thursday: open | Friday: open | Saturday: open | Sunday: open |
| Villa Farnesina Open on the second Sunday of the month | Monday: open | Tuesday: open | Wednesday: open | Thursday: open | Friday: open | Saturday: open | Sunday: closed |
✓ open · ✕ closed · ½ open part of the day. Public holidays can differ; see below.
museivaticani.va: opening hours · gebart.it: Galleria Borghese tickets · museicapitolini.org: free entry · colosseo.it: opening times · cultura.gov.it: Pantheon · cultura.gov.it: Castel Sant'Angelo · barberinicorsini.org · cultura.gov.it: Palazzo Massimo · maxxi.art · turismoroma.it (Roma Capitale) · arapacis.it · doriapamphilj.it · villafarnesina.it
Christmas and New Year
Most of these museums close on 25 December and 1 January. Rome's city museums, including the Capitoline Museums and Ara Pacis, open 9:30–14:00 on 24 and 31 December.
Is there an official audio guide in your language?
| Museum | Audio guide languages | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Vatican Museums | Yes | 12 languages · €8 |
| Galleria Borghese | Yes | 6 languages · €5 |
| Capitoline Museums | Yes | 5 languages · €4 |
| Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine | Yes | 2 languages · Free |
| Pantheon | Yes | 11 languages · — |
| MAXXI | Yes | 2 languages · €3 |
| Ara Pacis | Yes | 5 languages · €4 |
| Palazzo Doria Pamphilj | Yes | 4 languages · Free |
| Villa Farnesina | Yes | 5 languages · Free |
colosseo.it: opening times and tickets · pantheonroma.com: audioguida · pantheonroma.com: tour con audioguida · maxxi.art: opening hours and tickets · arapacis.it: tickets, video guides and audio guides · doriapamphilj.it: la visita · villafarnesina.it: carta dei servizi e accessibilità
Questions visitors ask
Which Rome museums are free on the first Sunday of the month?
The state museums in Italy's "Domenica al museo", including the Galleria Borghese, the Colosseum with the Roman Forum and Palatine, the Pantheon, Castel Sant'Angelo, Palazzo Barberini and Galleria Corsini, and the Museo Nazionale Romano, plus Rome's city museums such as the Capitoline Museums and Ara Pacis. The Vatican Museums are closed that day; their free day is the last Sunday of the month. cultura.gov.it: Domenica al museo · museicapitolini.org: free entry
Do I need to book on the free first Sunday?
At the Galleria Borghese, yes: booking is required and costs €2. At Palazzo Barberini and Galleria Corsini it is recommended. At the Colosseum there is no advance booking and tickets are issued on the day. At the Capitoline Museums and Ara Pacis, free tickets are issued only at the ticket office or by calling 060608. gebart.it: Galleria Borghese tickets · barberinicorsini.org · turismoroma.it (Roma Capitale) · museicapitolini.org: free entry
Are Rome museums open on Monday?
Some are. The Vatican Museums, the Capitoline Museums, the Colosseum area, the Pantheon, Ara Pacis, Palazzo Doria Pamphilj and Villa Farnesina open on Mondays. The Galleria Borghese, Castel Sant'Angelo, Palazzo Barberini, the Museo Nazionale Romano, MAXXI and La GNAM are closed. museivaticani.va: opening hours · museicapitolini.org: free entry · gebart.it: Galleria Borghese tickets · turismoroma.it (Roma Capitale)
Are the Vatican Museums open on Sunday?
Only on the last Sunday of each month, when entry is free from 9:00 to 14:00 (last entry 12:30). On other Sundays they are closed. museivaticani.va: opening hours
Are Rome museums free for under-25s or residents?
EU citizens aged 18 to 25 pay €2 at the Galleria Borghese and at Palazzo Barberini and Galleria Corsini, and under-18s enter free there. Rome's city museums, such as the Capitoline Museums, have been free for residents of Rome and its metropolitan area since February 2026. gebart.it: Galleria Borghese tickets · barberinicorsini.org · museicapitolini.org: free entry
Checked against the museums' own pages on 21 October 2026.
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