Tour Details
Duration
3 hours
Product Type
Tour
Venues
- Capitoline Museums
- The Fortune Teller
- The Burial of St. Petronilla
- Romulus and Remus
Photos & Highlights
- Focuses on the history of the most significant pieces of Roman and Italian treasures
- Led by an art historian, classicist, or archaeologist
Select a date
Tour Description
The Capitoline Museums, the oldest public museum in the world, provide a unique opportunity to trace the entire history of Rome through an eclectic collection of art and artifacts, covering Roman and Italian treasures ranging from antique bronzes and marble busts to Renaissance paintings and frescoes. Explore this fascinating story in the company of an art historian, classicist, or archaeologist on our Capitoline Museums tour (also known as the Musei Capitolini). The museum complex is a monument in its own right: the Palazzo dei Conservatori and the Palazzo Nuovo stand elegantly on the Michelangelo-designed Piazza del Campidoglio.
Capitoline Museums Private Tour
Here, in Michelangelo's Piazza del Campidoglio, we begin under the gaze of the reproduction of Marcus Aurelius' bronze equestrian statue, discussing the history of the museum and its location on Capitoline Hill, along with other important buildings, such as the Tabularium, where Rome's city hall is currently located, Palazzo dei Conservatori, and Palazzo Nuovo. We will examine the collection, founded around 1471 by Pope Sixtus IV, who donated an assortment of bronze statues to the Roman people as a symbolic gesture of the Pope's relationship with his community. The majority of the treasures contained in the Capitoline Museums have a direct link with Rome's past, giving visitors the unique opportunity to observe thousands of years of Roman artistic, political, and social history. From this vantage point, we are also afforded a breathtaking view of the Forum and Palatine Hill, which sets up the context for what is housed within the museum.
Take-Aways
Our walk through the museum is not meant to showcase the entire collection, but rather to focus on the most significant pieces for understanding the art and architecture of antiquity. Treasures such as the newly restored equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius, the foundations of the temple to Jupiter Capitolinus, the colossal statue of Emperor Constantine, marble busts of noblemen and patricians, and bas-reliefs with scenes from Roman history allow us to view the wide range of materials and forms used in ancient art.
FAQ
Is this tour accessible for those with mobility issues?
There are many stairs in the Capitoline Museums, and some of the works of art we will discuss are located in the stairwells. There are a few small elevators in some areas of the museum but in many cases, the only way to move from floor to floor is to take the stairs. Anyone with limited mobility should be aware that there will be many stairs to climb on this walk.
Do you reserve headsets for this tour?
Do you reserve headsets for this tour?
Depending on your group size, we may be required by the venue to order headsets in which case you’ll see a “Headset Fee” added to your order. If you would like to guarantee headsets for your tour regardless of your group size, please email us and we’ll be happy to get them reserved for you.
Experts
Where You'll Start
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85 Reviews
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Everything worked. Let me set the scene. It was 3:00 pm, on our last day in Rome. We have two boys, 12, and 16. And, the 16 year old had a bad cold. We'd been in Rome seeing sights for 10 days. Needless to say, our kids were tired. Then, our Docent arrives. She was friendly, enthusiastic, very knowledgeable, very attentive to both us, and our kids. By attentive, I mean that she paid attention to whether we were tired, and might need to sit down etc. She was all this to a very high degree. Therefore, I would say that she was excellent. However, and this is why I checked off the box "exceptional", she was even something more than this. First, in a very friendly and nonthreatening way, she used the Socratic method to try to engage the kids and us. Secondly, she not only knew the material in an everyday scholarly way, she had creatively engaged with it, and was able to offer us interesting insights that went beyond the conventional wisdom. Thirdly, she had a genuine passion for excellence, for individual thought, for individual seeing, and for the greatness of Rome. These values came through everything she said and did, bringing both her talk, and the past itself, alive. Above all, we felt her commitment to excellence, a love of Rome and its history. She deepened and enriched our understanding and interest in Rome. We found that the 3 hours passed in an instant. And what of the kids? Here is the miracle. They paid attention for 3 full hours, and listened to nearly every word she said. At the end of the tour, they told us that they had loved it. This, to me, is a testament to how good she was. She challenged them, in a friendly way, by asking questions. She never talked down to them. And, yet, due to her enthusiasm and honest passion, they loved the tour. As we did. In all the tours we have had, she was the best Docent we have had. Don't lose this one! Robert & Christine Girvan
Christine
Reviewed on:
Mar 23, 2015
If you are as tired of crowded umbrella tours as my wife and I are you should book with Context. They offer a superior small group tour or walk with amazing guides at a modest increase in rate. We were delighted with our walk and we will go back for more.
Dwight
Reviewed on:
Nov 4, 2014
Good background info on various pieces. We are not art experts; she seemed disappointed we were not well informed.
Mary louise
Reviewed on:
Jul 2, 2014
