A collection that spans 2,500 years

The Capitoline Museums are no ordinary museum: they're the storehouse of Rome's identity, with works ranging from archaic Rome to the Baroque. In just a handful of rooms you meet symbols you've seen a thousand times without knowing where they lived. Here are the masterpieces to seek out, room by room, for a visit of roughly 2 hours.

The masterpieces of the Palazzo dei Conservatori

1. The Lupa Capitolina — Rome's bronze emblem: the she-wolf suckling Romulus and Remus. The twins are a Renaissance addition; the wolf is ancient.

2. The equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius — The original in gilded bronze, which survived because it was long believed to depict the emperor Constantine. The one in the piazza is a copy.

3. The Spinario — The delicate bronze of a boy pulling a thorn from his foot, one of antiquity's most beloved images.

4. The colossal head of Constantine — The giant fragments (the head, a hand, a foot) of the emperor's statue: in the courtyard, and genuinely striking.

5. The Gallery and the Horti — Frescoed rooms and sculptures from the imperial villas.

The masterpieces of the Palazzo Nuovo

6. The Dying Gaul — The wounded warrior sinking to the ground: a masterpiece of Hellenistic sculpture, with unmatched dramatic intensity.

7. The Capitoline Venus — The goddess of beauty in one of her most celebrated versions.

8. The Hall of the Emperors — The gallery of Roman imperial portraits: face after face, the history of Rome in marble.

The Pinacoteca Capitolina

9. Caravaggio — The Fortune Teller and the Saint John the Baptist: the master's revolutionary light.

10. Titian, Rubens, Guido Reni — Great painting between the Renaissance and the Baroque.

The bonus: the Tabularium

Not a work but a place: the Tabularium, ancient Rome's state archive, offers from its gallery a head-on view of the Roman Forum that alone is worth the ticket. Save it for last — at sunset if you can.

Want to visit the Capitoline Museums at your own pace?

My Rome Driver takes you up to the Capitoline Hill with a private driver (ZTL access) and waits for you, so you can explore without worrying about parking or public transport.

Check availability and get a quote

Reply within 30 minutes · Fixed price · Free cancellation up to 24h before

A quick 2-hour itinerary

  1. Palazzo dei Conservatori (45 min): Lupa, Marcus Aurelius, Spinario, head of Constantine.
  2. Pinacoteca (30 min): Caravaggio and the great painting collection.
  3. Tabularium (15 min): the view over the Forum.
  4. Palazzo Nuovo (30 min): Dying Gaul, Venus, Hall of the Emperors.

Frequently asked questions

What are the masterpieces of the Capitoline Museums? The most famous are the Lupa Capitolina, the equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius, the Spinario, the Dying Gaul, the Capitoline Venus and the Caravaggios in the Pinacoteca, plus the colossal head of Constantine.

How much time do you need to see the masterpieces? About 2 hours for the main pieces and the Tabularium. For a complete, unhurried visit, 3 hours.

Where is the real statue of Marcus Aurelius? The bronze original is inside the Capitoline Museums (the Marcus Aurelius exedra); the statue in the middle of Piazza del Campidoglio is a copy.

Is the Lupa Capitolina authentic? The bronze she-wolf is ancient; the twins Romulus and Remus were added during the Renaissance. It's one of Rome's most iconic symbols.

Is the Pinacoteca Capitolina worth it? Yes: it holds masterpieces by Caravaggio, Titian, Rubens and Guido Reni. Often less visited than the sculpture galleries, but world class.

See also

Book a driver for the Capitoline Hill

Fixed price · ZTL access · Door to door

Article #230 · Category: Museums · Updated: May 2026