Discover the centuries-old history of the Capitoline Museum, attracting over 500,000 visitors every year!
It houses a massive art collection from the Popes and other ancient Roman art from the 16th century, the most famous being the statue of the Capitoline Wolf.
Visitors planning to explore the ancient hallways of the Capitoline Museum must know all about the history of the museum and its artwork.
In this article, we will discover the detailed timeline of the museum’s history and find out how old the oldest art collection in Rome actually was!
A Historical Timeline of the Capitoline Museums
1471: Pope Sixtus IV gave his collection of art to the museum.
1570: The main staircase’s construction began.
1603-1654: The Palazzo Nuovo was constructed.
1734: The museum opened to the public under Pope Clement XII.
1925: Gallery Palazzo Cafarilli was added to the museum.
1957: Capitolini Junction Gallery was added.
2005: The damaged Capitolini Junction Gallery space was renovated to open the new Lapidaria Gallery.
How did the Capitoline Museum Rome Get its Name?
The Capitoline Museum stands on the famous Capitoline Hill, which houses some of Rome’s most ancient and essential Roman temples.
Its name comes from the Temple of Jupiter Capitoline, dedicated to the triad Jupiter, Juno, and Minerva.
This temple was also used to name the entire hill as the Capitoline Hill.
There is also a mythological story that the name translates to “head,” and the hill gets its name from a head found during the temple’s foundation.
Construction of the Museum
There is no known date of the construction of the Capitoline Museums, but the collection began in 1471.
Pope Sixtus IV donated a massive bronze collection of statues and other items to the museum.
These items are on display in the Conservator’s Apartment in the museum.
Since then, many items, including Roman inscriptions, statues, sculptures, and also a collection of medieval and Renaissance art, have been added to the museum.
The museum has always been under Rome’s municipal council since it opened.
Popes Paul III and Pius V continued donating pagan sculptures from the Vatican Museum, which kept expanding the Capitoline collection.
It opened to the public in 1734 under the guidance of Pope Clement XII.
When the museum opened, the 16th-century structures were arranged on the exterior of the museum.
Pope Paul III also commanded that the statue of Marcus Aurelius, which came from Lateran, be installed here in 1538.
The New Capitoline Picture Gallery
New artworks were added as the Capitoline Musuem continued expanding, and the new Palazzo Nuovo was constructed in 1654.
Pope Benedict XIV founded the new Capitoline Picture Gallery in the 18th century and added the Pio and Sachetti collections.
19th Century Innovations
At the end of the 19th century, Italy’s capital unified, so the Capitoline Musuem underwent many expansion projects!
A new Antiquarium and Palazzo dei Conservatori areas were set up to display the new excavations from around Italy.
The Castellani pottery and Cini porcelain collections expanded as many private collectors gave away their treasured goods.
The museum also set up a unique coin and medallion collection to display coins from these private merchant collections.
20th Century Additions
At the beginning of the 20th century, the museum display was arranged again by Rodolfo Lanciani.
As the museum continued expanding, a new gallery named Palazzo Cafarilli was added, and many sculptures were moved from the Antiquarium in 1925.
Braccio Nuovo, also known as the New Wing, was added to the museum in 1952.
To celebrate the third Greek and Latin Epiphany Congress, a new gallery was added to the museum named the Capitolini Junction Gallery in 1957!
It displayed over 1,400 Greek and Latin inscriptions but was sadly closed till 2005 because of water damage.
It was renamed Galleria Lapidaria and houses a touch tour and computer room with many theme-based exhibitions.
Dardi and Enaudi studios were assigned the redevelopment project to ensure all museum rooms were interconnected.
The design of the Roman Gardens was given to Carlo Aymonio, who added a massive glass-covered hallrooom to it.
Artwork Restorations Done
The marvelous architecture of the museum has not been restored since its construction, but many artworks have been repaired and repainted over the years.
Five Roman busts were restored in the Philosopher’s Hall of the museum in 2013.
The Azerbaijan Embassy funded it for the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, trying to learn more about the cultural heritage of Rome.
Palazzo Nuovo’s famous Marforio statue’s fountain and main figure of Marforio underwent restoration in 2012, as funded by Swaroski.
Some other restoration projects were also carried out on the statues of Palazzo Nuovo in the Capitoline Museum.
Some of the paintings that underwent restorations are:
- Finding of Romulus and Remus by Rubens in 2013.
- Caravaggio’s John the Baptist painting in 2010.
- The Banner of St. George between 2002 and 2003.
Two centaurs sculptures from Hadrian’s villa were restored in 2001 and 2002.
The Capitoline Museum Today
The Capitoline Museum is one of the most visited museums in Italy today, housing the oldest collection of art!
It comprises two buildings, the Palazzo dei Conservatori and Palazzo Nuovo, and is joined by the Galleria Lapidaria.
The Marus Aurelius statue and Capitoline Wolf are the most famous artworks of the museum.
FAQs on the History of Capitoline Museum
Why was the Capitoline Musuem created?
The Capitoline Museum was constructed to house the bronze collection Pope Sixtus IV donated in 1471. This collection grew as Pope Paul III and Pius V wanted to remove pagan sculptures from the Vatican Museums.
How old is the Capitoline Museum?
The Capitoline Musuem is 553 years old and has been around since 1471.
Is the Capitoline Musuem the oldest museum?
The Capitoline Museum is the oldest in Rome, and its history traces back to 1471.
How was the Capitoline Museum named?
The museum was named after the Temple of Jupiter Capitoline, which also helped name the Capitoline Hill. Some people also believe that the museum was named after the head found on the mountain during construction, as Capitol translated to head.
When did the Capitoline Museum open to the public?
The Capitoline Museum was opened to the public in 1734 under Pope Clement XII.
When was Palazzo Nuovo constructed?
Palazzo Nuovo was built between 1603 and 1654.
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