Rome low cost? Yes, you can! 15 free museums in Rome

A list of free museums in Rome, perfect for low-budget travellers.

There are at least 15 free museums in Rome, and here you'll discover a list of them all. Of course, this list doesn't include the big museums like the Vatican, Colosseum and the Capitoline museums - these museums are lesser-known and smaller, but still worth a visit, especially because they're free!

If you are taking a low cost trip to Rome, don't miss our advice about the Top 10 hostels and hotels in Rome near Termini Station, as well as our list of 4 curiosities you wouldn't expect to see.

Here is our list of 15 free museums that you can visit in Rome.

1. HENDRIK CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN MUSEUM

Credits:@www.turismoroma.it

Hendrik Christian Andersen, the Norwegian artist, spent most of his life in Rome, in the same building where the museum is located - a palace that he himself designed. Inside, you'll find sculptures and paintings by the same artist.

Open from Tuesday to Thursday from 9.30 to 19.30.

2. MUSEUM OF THE ROMAN REPUBLIC AND THE MEMORY OF GARIBALDI

Another of Rome's free museums, this museum is full of documents, artwork and multimedia materials dedicated to the history of the Roman Republic, and there are many busts and items of memorabilia relating to Giuseppe Garibaldi.

Open from Tuesday to Friday from 10:00 to 14:00 and Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 to 18:00.

3. MUSEUM OF CASAL DE'PAZZI

Located between Via Tiburtina and Via Nomentana, this museum is dedicated to the Pleistocene age, with exhibits dating back 200,000 years. Here you can see the bones of large mammals, such as ancient elephants and waterfowl.

Open every day from 9am to 2pm.

4. VILLA OF MAXENTIUS

This Roman villa was built by the Roman emperor Maxentius. Located in Via Appia Antica 153 this complex is made up of three buildings: the palace, the Circus of Maxentius and the dynastic mausoleum. The circus, in particular, is very well architecturally preserved.

Open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 4 pm.

5. GIOVANNI BARRACCO MUSEUM OF ANCIENT SCULPTURE

This museum contains a rich collection of ancient sculptures from different backgrounds that were collected by the rich Calabrian, Giovanni Barraco, and then donated to the City of Rome.

Open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10.00 to 16.00 (entry is permitted until 15.30).

6. THE AURELIAN WALL MUSEUM

This museum is located near Porta San Sebastiano and is relatively recent, having only been opened in 1990. Inside you'll find mosaics, models that reproduce the walls as they were originally and panels that illustrate the ancient parts.

Open from Tuesday to Sunday from 9.00 to 14.00.

7. MUSEUM PIETRO CANONICA

The artist Pietro Canonica's house is full of his works, and is a museum of two parts. The first part, closer to the traditional concept of a museum, is on the ground floor, while the second, a little more intimate, is found on the top floor, where the artist had his studio.

Open from Tuesday to Sunday.

October-May hours 10:00 to 16:00 from June to September hours 13:00 to 19:00.

8. MUSEUM OF ROYAL CARRIAGES AT QUIRINALE

This museum is located inside the stables that Vittorio Emanuele II wanted and here you'll find gala carriages, open and covered carriages, campaign carriages... in short, there is something here for all tastes.

The museum is open only one Saturday per month, with four entry times at 10, 10.30, 11 and 11.30 (the visit is free but you must book in advance.)

9. NAPOLEONIC MUSEUM

This museum contains a collection of Napoleonic memorabilia, mostly from the collection of Giuseppe Primoli, a descendant of the Bonaparte family, who donated these treasures to Rome. Here, paintings, documents and busts, are all divided into 3 eras: the rise of Napoleon I, Napoleon's fall and the rise of Napoleon III, and finally, the Second Empire era.

Open Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 18:00.

10. THE OSTIENSE MUSEUM

Within the Porta S. Paolo, this museum shows the topography of the area between Rome and Ostia, with materials from the area, which was famous in Roman times.

Open from Tuesday to Sunday from 9.00 to 13.30.

11. LUIGI PIRANDELLO'S HOUSE

This museum is in the house where Luigi Pirandello lived. It is located in a detached house, close to Villa Torlonia.

Open on Mondays and Tuesdays from 9:00 to 14:00 and on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 9:00 to 18:00.

13. THE THEATRE MUSEUM OF BURCARDO

If you're a theatre lover, there's a free museum in Rome that is perfect for you: The Burcardo theatre museum houses theatre related materials including portraits, programmes and posters.

Open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:15 to 16:30.

14. MUSEUM OF THE PURGATORY SOULS

After a fire took place at the Chiesa del Sacro Cuore del Suffragio, the priest, Vittore Jouet noticed a stain on the wall that remained from the fire, which appeared to show a suffering face. From that moment on, the priest was convinced that the souls in Purgatory needed to be felt and heard by the living. This museum now houses objects that have been touched by the deceased from all over Europe.

Open during the same hours as the church.

15. HISTORICAL MUSEUM OF MILITARY VEHICLES

For those who enjoy war museums, this is a must, especially as it is one of Rome's free museums. Here you'll find trucks, cars, and tracked armoured vehicles.

Open Saturdays from 9 to 12.