Last Updated: March 18, 2022
Famous Museums In Italy
A lot of people select Italy as their chosen country to spend their vacation in and this isn’t just because of the amazing food and dreamy ocean views, it’s also due to the amazing Italian history and culture.
Italy is drenched in history, all the way from the Roman empire to today, and a trip to Rome is like walking around ancient Rome with just a few modern touches, but there is a lot more to it than that.
Join me as we take a look at the best museums in Italy that you should visit while on a trip to this amazing country.
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National Archaeological Museum
Image courtesy of Elliott Brown
The ​​National Archaeological Museum also called the National Archeological Museum is one of the best museums in Italy if you’re looking for it.
You fill wind this national museum located in Naples and it is home to ancient Greek and Roman antiquities across numerous exhibits and its ancient Egypt collection is home to old Egyptian artifacts and Egyptian antiquities too.
It’s one of the most visited museums in Italy and the reason it attracts visitors is that it’s one of the few museums in the world that showcases the relationship between Rome in Egypt that ran from as early as 200 BC.
The highlights of this important archaeological museum that you should make sure you see while visiting include the Farnese Collection that is home to masterpieces the most famous of which is ‘The Farnese Bull’ which is a group of marble sculptures depicting the Greek myth of Dirce and dates back to 200 BC.
The mosaic collection of artifacts from Pompeii and Herculaneum is also incredible for those who are interested. Another thing that visitors shouldn’t miss is the ‘Gabinetto Segreto’ (Secret Cabinet) which features erotica artifacts found at Pompeii and Herculaneum in the form of Mosaics.
If you find yourself in the ancient Roman city of Naples, you have to see this museum.
Uffizi Gallery
The Uffizi Gallery, aka Galleria Degli Uffizi, is one of the old museums in the world and certainly one of the best museums in Italy to visit.
Visitors will find this art museum located in Florence and it is one of the most famous art museums in Italy housing some of the most incredible masterpieces of Western art. If you love Italian art and any kind of artwork, to be honest, you have to visit it if you can.
To give you an idea of the masterpieces in this art collection, it includes artwork like the central panel from Paolo Uccello’s triptych ‘The Battle of San Romano’ (c. 1435-55), Sandro Botticelli’s ‘Primavera’ (c. 1482), and Leonardo’s ‘Annunciation’ (c. 1472-75).
You’ll also find artworks by masters like Caravaggio, Titian, Michelangelo, Raphael, Cimabue, Duccio, and Piero della Francesca. And there is a lot of major renaissance art in the Uffizi gallery since Florence is pretty much where it was born with Rembrandts and other famous pieces in their collections.
If you’re visiting Florence while on a trip to Italy, going to the Uffizi, one of the most visited museums in Italy, is a must.
Villa d’Este
Villa d’Este is one of the top museums in Italy to visit if you’re staying in Rome for a few days. This national museum is located around 20 mins away from the center of Rome in a small town called Tivoli.
The museum complex is housed in a 16th-century villa and between its stunning houses, gardens, and fountains, it’s been deemed a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
It was once the home of the Este family, a very wealthy and powerful Italian family and today is considered one of the best examples of Renaissance culture and this is mainly thanks to the stunning gardens and fountains.
Visitors will be blown away by the stunning beauty of this museum and it’s more than worth the quick trip from Rome.
Ferrari Museum
Image courtesy of Wikimedia
If you love cars in any way shape or form then you have to go and explore the Ferrari Museum located in Maranello next to the Ferrari factory near Bologna.
Home to the largest museum complex in the area, the collections are spread out over 6 bug halls and each collection is as good as the next.
You’ll find some of the most amazing and stunning cars designed by Sergio Pininfarina as well as lots of the Scuderia Ferrari’s World Championship winning single-seaters in a collection too.
If you’re visiting with kids, or not, one of the coolest things about this museum is to hop into one of the two simulators where you can experience what it is like to drive a Ferrari Formula 1 Car.
Galleria Borghese
Housed inside of the Villa Borghese building, a spectacular house with amazing grounds once owned by the famous Borghese family which is now a public park in Rome is where you’ll find the Borghese Gallery.
The gallery is home to one of the best art collections in Rome, if not in Italy and you’ll find some of the most famous paintings and sculptures from the likes of Reubens, Caravaggio, Raphael, Titian, Bernini, and Canova.
If you love art, then the renaissance paintings and other art in these museum houses are going to blow your mind. Between the sculpture and statues displayed, you will be in awe.
For access to these exhibits that showcase art that is centuries old, you will have to reserve and it is even worth getting a guided tour of the gallery if you’re really into the attractions.
Accademia Gallery
Sitting in Florence, one of Italy’s most beautiful cities is the stunning Gallery of Accademia. This gallery is one of the most visited in Italy as it houses a sculpture collection out of the one and only Michelangelo as well as amazing Florentine renaissance paintings from the 15th and 16th centuries.
The gallery is known for, more than anything, housing Michelangelo’s David, and thus you should expect to see a lot of people when you walk into this museum. But there is more to the sculptures than David, as you can also see the Hall of Colossus and art by the likes of Botticelli and Giambologna too.
Since this museum is so popular, I would highly suggest booking tickets for the museum in advance so you are guaranteed entry.
Egyptian Museum
Image courtesy of Richard Mortel
The Egyptian Museum is located in Turin and is the only museum with Egyptian artifacts in the world outside of Cairo that is dedicated to Egyptian art and culture and has the second biggest collection of Egyptian antiquities.
The museum opened in the 1700s when it began its collection and since then have added artifacts from new excavations. You will find thousands of pieces in the museum including huge statues, sphinxes, mummies, and lots more on display too.
The museum actually owns 26,000 objects but only has around 7,000 on display and if there is one piece to see it is the ‘Turin Papyrus Map’ the oldest surviving map of topographical interest from the ancient world dating back to 1160 BC.
Cenacolo Vinciano
Sitting in the heart of Milan, you can’t leave Milan without going to the Cenacolo Vinciano museum. It’s housed inside the convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan and is home to one of the most famous paintings ever made, and of course, it’s by Leonardo Da Vinci.
The L’Ultima Cena, The Last Supper which was painted by Leonardo da Vinci in the 15th century is something everyone should see before they die. The museum is also home to exhibits that give you an insight into fresco’s history–as well as its fraught experience during World War II.
You should definitely book a ticket in advance to go to this museum as availability is limited to see the Da Vinci.
Palace Of Venaria
The Royal Palace of Venaria is a stunning Baroque Palace of Venaria Reale that you will find just near to the town of Turin. The palace is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site and is a building from the 17th and 18th centuries that was commissioned by Duke Charles Emmanuel II as a base for his hunting expeditions in the countryside around Turin.
The former palace and gardens are now a museum and it is now a museum that showcases amazing Baroque architecture. You’ll also find artwork and decorations from throughout history.
Mausoleum Of Hadrian
The Castel Sant’Angelo, aka the Mausoleum of Hadrian, sits in the heart of Rome at the Parco Adriano. The building of the mausoleum was actually commissioned by the Roman Emperor Hadrian himself and it was built between 134 to 139 CE.
Over history, it has also been used as a fortress and castle by quite a few popes and it was even used as a prison that had some famous inmates including Philosopher Giordano Bruno and sculptor Benvenuto Cellini.
The Castel Sant’Angelo is today a museum that is hugely popular with around one million visitors per year. The architecture is fantastic and of the several museums in one, it’s not one to be missed.
About the Author Anna Timbrook
Anna is the co-owner of expert world travel and can't wait to share her travel experience with the world. With over 54 countries under her belt she has a lot to write about! Including those insane encounters with black bears in Canada.
