The National Museum’s main branch, at Palazzo Massimo, houses the greatest collection of ancient Roman art anywhere. Think of this museum as a walk back in time. As you gaze at the same statues that the Romans swooned over, the history of Rome comes alive – from Julius Caesar’s murder to Caligula’s incest to Vespasian’s Colosseum to the coming of Christianity.
The museum is rectangular, with rooms and hallways built around a center courtyard. The ground-floor sculptures follow Rome’s history as the city changes from a republic to a dictatorial empire. The first-floor exhibits take Rome from its peak through its slow decline.
The second floor houses rare frescoes and fine mosaics, and the basement presents coins and everyday objects. Take advantage of the thoughtfully written information panels throughout. As you tour this museum, note that in Italian, “room” is sala and “hall” is galleria.
On the first floor, along with statues and busts showing such emperors as Trajan and Hadrian, you’ll see the best-preserved Roman copy of the Greek Discus Thrower. Statues of athletes like this commonly stood in the baths, where Romans cultivated healthy bodies, minds, and social skills, hoping to lead well-rounded lives.
Other statues on this floor originally stood in the pleasure gardens of the Roman rich – surrounded by greenery with the splashing sound of fountains, all painted in bright, lifelike colors. Though created by Romans, the themes are mostly Greek, with godlike humans and human-looking gods.
The second floor contains frescoes and mosaics that once decorated the walls and floors of Roman villas. They’re remarkably realistic and unstuffy, featuring everyday people, animals, flowery patterns, and geometrical designs.
The Villa Farnesina frescoes – in black, red, yellow and blue, are mostly architectural designs, with fake columns, friezes and garlands. The Villa di Livia frescoes, owned by the wily wife of Augustus, immerse you in a leafy green garden full of birds and fruit trees, symbolizing the gods.
