Sunday at the Museum - First Sunday of the Month in Rome
Every first Sunday of the month, enjoy free admission to the capital's civic and state museums and archaeological sites.
About Sunday at the Museum Rome
A monthly date with Rome's heritage
Sunday at the Museum is a national initiative by the Ministry of Culture that grants free entry to state museums, archaeological parks, castles, monumental complexes, villas, and gardens on the first Sunday of every month. In Rome, the impact is even greater: since 2020, the Municipality of Rome, through the Capitoline Superintendence for Cultural Heritage, has extended free access to the entire Rome Capital Museum System. The result is one of Italy's most popular cultural events, drawing tens of thousands of people to the capital and the surrounding Lazio region in a single day.
Which museums can you visit for free?
The network of participating Roman civic museums is vast, covering archaeology, ancient art, modern art, and natural sciences:
- Capitoline Museums, on the Capitoline Hill, the oldest public museum in the world
- Trajan's Markets - Museum of the Imperial Forums
- Ara Pacis Museum
- Centrale Montemartini, where ancient sculptures dialogue with the machinery of a former thermoelectric power plant
- Museum of Rome at Palazzo Braschi and Museum of Rome in Trastevere
- Gallery of Modern Art of Rome Capital
- Museums of Villa Torlonia (Casino Nobile, Casina delle Civette)
- Civic Museum of Zoology
- Museum of the Forma Urbis, in the Caelian Hill Archaeological Park
On the state side, the initiative includes the city's major national landmarks, from the Colosseum to the Pantheon, and from Castel Sant'Angelo to the Borghese Gallery and the national Roman museums. Access procedures may vary: some sites implement capacity limits and mandatory reservations, while a few locations remain paid.
Open-air archaeological sites
One of the highlights of the initiative in Rome is the free access to open-air archaeological sites, perfect for those with limited time or traveling with children:
- Largo Argentina Sacred Area, featuring four republican temples and its famous cat colony
- Circus Maximus Archaeological Area
- Imperial Forums, with entrance from Trajan's Column
- Caelian Hill Archaeological Park
Exhibitions and guided tours
Free admission is not limited to permanent collections: on many Sundays, several temporary exhibitions hosted at the Capitoline Museums, Centrale Montemartini, Trajan's Markets, the Gallery of Modern Art, and the Museums of Villa Torlonia are also accessible without a ticket. Exceptions include some major international exhibitions, which maintain standard ticketing. The free guided tours of Palazzo Senatorio, the seat of the Capitoline government not normally open to the public, are also highly sought after and offered in multiple time slots throughout the day with mandatory reservations.
How to plan your visit
Free Sundays are extremely popular: it is advisable to arrive early, choose one area of the city to focus on, and check the individual museum's website in advance, as free entry is subject to site capacity. For groups, reservations are mandatory via the Rome Capital contact center at 060608, active daily from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM; for some state sites, pre-purchasing a free ticket online is required.
Why it's worth it
Beyond the savings, Sunday at the Museum has changed the relationship between Romans and their heritage: it is an opportunity to visit lesser-known neighborhood museums, to show children the Capitoline Wolf or the casts at the Zoology Museum, and to discover that the city is not just a monumental center but a widespread network of collections. A civic habit that has become deeply rooted in the cultural calendar of the Province of Rome and the entire Lazio region.
Sunday at the Museum Rome — edition 2026
2026 Dates
There are twelve free Sundays in Rome in 2026: January 4, February 1, March 1, April 5, May 3, June 7, July 5, August 2, September 6, October 4, November 1, and December 6. On each of these days, the Rome Capital Museum System and the city's state museums offer free admission.
What has been confirmed
Official communications from the Museums in Comune for the Sundays in January, February, March, May, and July 2026 confirm free entry to the Capitoline Museums, Trajan's Markets - Museum of the Imperial Forums, Ara Pacis Museum, Centrale Montemartini, Museum of Rome, Museum of Rome in Trastevere, Gallery of Modern Art, Museums of Villa Torlonia, and the Civic Museum of Zoology, as well as the archaeological areas of the Largo Argentina Sacred Area, the Circus Maximus, the Imperial Forums, and the Caelian Hill Archaeological Park with the Museum of the Forma Urbis.
Hours and access
Open-air archaeological sites follow dedicated hours on free days, generally from 9:00-9:30 AM until late afternoon, while museums maintain their usual Sunday hours. Entry is free subject to site capacity.
Programme Sunday at the Museum Rome 2026
2026 Calendar of free Sundays
- Sunday, January 4, 2026
- Sunday, February 1, 2026
- Sunday, March 1, 2026
- Sunday, April 5, 2026
- Sunday, May 3, 2026
- Sunday, June 7, 2026
- Sunday, July 5, 2026
- Sunday, August 2, 2026
- Sunday, September 6, 2026
- Sunday, October 4, 2026
- Sunday, November 1, 2026
- Sunday, December 6, 2026
Civic museums with free admission
- Capitoline Museums (Campidoglio)
- Trajan's Markets - Museum of the Imperial Forums
- Ara Pacis Museum
- Centrale Montemartini
- Museum of Rome - Palazzo Braschi
- Museum of Rome in Trastevere
- Gallery of Modern Art of Rome Capital
- Museums of Villa Torlonia
- Civic Museum of Zoology
- Museum of the Forma Urbis
Archaeological sites with free admission
- Largo Argentina Sacred Area (9:30 AM - 4:00 PM)
- Circus Maximus Archaeological Area (9:30 AM - 4:00 PM)
- Imperial Forums, entrance from Trajan's Column (9:00 AM - 4:30 PM)
- Caelian Hill Archaeological Park (10:00 AM - 4:00 PM)
Guided tours
Free guided tours in Italian of Palazzo Senatorio on the Capitoline Hill, in four shifts (10:00 AM, 11:30 AM, 3:00 PM, and 4:30 PM), with mandatory reservations at 060608.
State museums
On the same day, the national initiative by the Ministry of Culture extends free admission to state museums, archaeological parks, and monumental complexes in the city, including the Colosseum, Pantheon, Castel Sant'Angelo, and Borghese Gallery, with capacity limits and mandatory reservations in some locations.
Highlights Sunday at the Museum Rome 2026
- Twelve free Sundays throughout the year, with no age or residency restrictions
- Capitoline Museums and Centrale Montemartini open without a ticket
- Open-air archaeological sites: Largo Argentina, Circus Maximus, Imperial Forums, Caelian Hill
- Free guided tours of Palazzo Senatorio, normally not accessible
- Many temporary exhibitions included in the free admission
Prices Sunday at the Museum Rome 2026
Practical information — Sunday at the Museum Rome
When
Every first Sunday of the month, all year round. In 2026: January 4, February 1, March 1, April 5, May 3, June 7, July 5, August 2, September 6, October 4, November 1, and December 6.
How to get there
By train to Roma Termini, then Metro A or B. For the Capitoline Hill and the Imperial Forums: Metro B, Colosseo stop, or bus along Via dei Fori Imperiali. For Centrale Montemartini: Metro B, Garbatella stop. Driving is discouraged: most of the city center is a restricted traffic zone (ZTL).
Costs and reservations
Free admission for everyone, subject to site capacity. Mandatory reservations for groups and guided tours of Palazzo Senatorio at 060608 (9:00 AM - 7:00 PM). Some state sites require online pre-booking even for free tickets. Some temporary exhibitions remain paid.
Tips
Arrive at opening time to avoid queues, check the hours on the individual museum's website, and consider the open-air archaeological sites as an alternative when indoor galleries are crowded.
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Where does it take place — Sunday at the Museum Rome
Musei Civici di Roma Capitale, musei statali e aree archeologiche (sedi multiple)
Piazza del Campidoglio 1, 00186 Roma