A Title That's Already an Idea

"The Machines and the Gods" («Le Macchine e gli Dei») isn't just an exhibition title: it's the stroke of genius that gave rise to the Centrale Montemartini, the museum where statues of ancient Rome share the floor with the industrial engines of the early 20th century. It's a pairing born almost by accident, and it has become one of the most successful and most imitated museum concepts in the world.

How the Idea Was Born (1997)

In the late 1990s, the Capitoline Museums faced major renovation work. To keep the collections open to the public, the city went looking for a temporary home, and the choice fell on the former Giovanni Montemartini thermoelectric power station, long decommissioned, on Via Ostiense. In 1997, hundreds of ancient sculptures were moved in among the diesel engines and boilers, in an exhibition titled The Machines and the Gods.

It was meant to be a stopgap. But the contrast between classical marble and steel giants proved so powerful and so captivating that the installation became permanent: the Centrale Montemartini is now a standing branch of the Capitoline Museums.

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Why It Works So Well

The magic of the pairing lies in the dialogue between two eras and two "religions":

  • The gods of antiquity — deities, emperors and heroes carved in marble — symbols of a civilization that worshipped beauty and myth.
  • The machines of the industrial age — engines, boilers and turbines — symbols of the modern cult of progress and energy.

Set face to face, the statues and the machinery elevate each other: the white of the marble pops against the black of the steel, classical elegance speaks to mechanical power. It's a visual short circuit that makes you wonder what humankind has truly "worshipped" across the centuries.

A Model Imitated Around the World

The concept's success set a precedent: the idea of displaying ancient art in spaces of industrial archaeology has been picked up by museums and installations all over the world. Yet the Centrale Montemartini remains the original — and the most successful — example, a case study in how the reuse of an industrial building can create a one-of-a-kind cultural experience.

A Different Side of Rome

Visiting the Centrale Montemartini means seeing Rome from an unexpected angle: not only the classical antiquity of the Forums and the museums downtown, but also industrial, 20th-century Rome, so often overlooked by tourists. It's the perfect stop for anyone who wants an experience that's original, photogenic and far from the crowds.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does "The Machines and the Gods" mean? It's the title of the 1997 exhibition that gave rise to the Centrale Montemartini, where ancient statues ("the Gods") are displayed among the engines and boilers of the former power station ("the Machines").

When did the Centrale Montemartini come into being? The installation began in 1997 as a temporary exhibition, during the renovation of the Capitoline Museums. Its success made it permanent.

Why are the statues displayed among the machines? Because of a solution born of necessity (the need for a temporary space during the renovation of the Capitoline Museums) that turned out to be a stroke of genius: the contrast between marble and machinery has become the museum's signature.

Is the Centrale Montemartini a permanent museum? Yes: launched as a temporary installation in 1997, it has become a standing, permanent branch of the Capitoline Museums.

What makes the Centrale Montemartini unique? The dialogue between classical archaeology and industrial archaeology: statues of Roman gods and emperors displayed among diesel engines and boilers, in a contrast that is unique and remarkably photogenic.

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Article #321 · Category: Monuments · Updated: May 2026