Masterpieces of Antiquity: Museo Pio Clementino in Rome

Monday-Saturday: 9am-6pm (last entry 4pm)
Every last Sunday of the month: 9am-2pm (last entry 12:30pm)

Like the other Vatican Museums, you can visit the Museum Pio Clementino all-year round, from January to December, during their opening hours. The museum opens its doors for you at 09:00AM in the morning-which means that early birds can have the opportunity to have a lovely start to their day with beautiful, colorful paintings. For those who would like to sleep in a little-- worry not, the opening hours of the museums are ideal for all visitors- early bird or not! Visitors can enjoy the artworks in the museum until 06:00PM. Please note that last admission into the museum is 2 hours before closing time-- so at 04:00PM. With these opening hours, you have more than enough time to explore and admire the artwork from Rome and Greece. Normally, the Museo Pio Clementino is closed, with the exception of the last Sunday of every month. On every last Sunday of the month, visitors can come explore the Museo Pio Clementino until 02:00PM. However, the aforementioned opening hours of every last Sunday do not apply if the last Sunday falls on the following dates: Easter, June 29, and December 25 or 26. All Vatican Museums are closed on these days.  

With your convenient Rome City Pass, you can experience the Museo Pio Clementino for free and also skip the waiting line and be admitted right into the museum. You will receive your ticket into the Museo Pio Clementino and also to other top attraction in Rome (in one complete package) well before you depart for Rome.

The Museo Pio Clementino is one of the Vatican Museums and is located on the northern part of the Vatican. More specifically, the museum is located directly next to the beautiful Vatican Gardens where many visitors find a space to take a break from exploring the Vatican and to relax. Because of the Museo Pio Clementino's great location, you can easily and quickly visit other attractions in the Vatican. Attractions found in Rome that are not located directly near the Vatican are also easily reachable using the Metro or bus system. 

Direction:
Metro: Line A to Cipro or Ottaviano, S. Pietro, Musei Vaticani
Bus 32, 81 or 982 to Piazza del Risorgimento
Bus 492 or 990 to Via Leone IV / Via degli Scipioni
Bus 49 to Viale Vaticano-Musei Vaticani  
Tram: 19 to Piazza del Risorgimento

The Museo Pio Clementino is located extremely near bus and train stops- because of this, you have many ways on how you can travel to the Museo Pio Clementino. For this reason, you can customize your day in Rome flexibly and to your individual needs. One option of getting to the museum is by taking Metro A and getting off at either the „Cipro” or „Ottaviano, S. Pietro, Musei Vaticani” station. If you'd prefer to use the bus, you have a variety of bus line to choose from: 32, 49, 81, 492, 982 or 990 to the Vatican, where the Museo Pio Clementino is located in. The bus lines 32, 81 and 982 can be ridden until „Piazza del Risorgimento,“ buses 492 and 990 until „Via Leone IV / Via degli Scipioni,“ and the bus line 49 until „Viale Vaticano-Musei Vaticani“ - all of these bus lines will take you to the Vatican. At whichever station or stop you end up getting off at, you will only have a 5-minute walk to make to arrive at the entrance of the museum. With the exception of bus line 49: this bus will literally drop you off in front of the museum's door steps. Whether you decide to take the Metro or bus to reach the Museo Pio Clementino in Rome, both options are easy and stress-free to use.  

The museum is closed on the following days: on Sundays (exception is usually on the last Sunday of each month), January 1 & 6, February 11 & 22, March 19 & 28, June 29, August 15, November 1, and December 8 & 26. 

Access into the Vatican Museums is allowed only when visitors are dressed appropriately. Therefore, please avoid wearing shoulder-exposing blouses, shorts, miniskirts, and hats on the day you decide to visit the Vatican. You can find out more information about other forbidden and also permissible objects that can be brought into the Vatican on the Vatican Museums' website: http://www.museivaticani.va/content/museivaticani/en/visita-i-musei/consigli-utili.html

Because the Museo Pio Clementino is one of the Vatican Museums, many other museums are located nearby. For example, Vatican's Pinacoteca, which houses an exhibition of artwork from the 11th and 19th century, is located nearby the museum. Another attraction near the Museo Pio Clementino is the Cortile della Belvedere. This courtyard was built at the beginning of the 16th century in order to connect the Sistine Chapel with the Palace of Pope Innocent VIII together. At the end of the 16th century, the library was expanded, which resulted in an arm of the library dividing the courtyard into two parts. The Museo Napoleonico can also be found nearby, outside of the Vatican. This museum houses private relics and video footage of the Bonaparte family. 

The history of the Museo Pio Clementino all began with the pontifical collection of sculptures that was collected by Pope Julius II-- the first statue being „Cortile delle Statue” (Courtyard Statue). Through many excavations and purchases, this collection was further expanded until Pope Clemens XIV decided to establish a museum in 1771 to showcase these artworks-- thus, the Museo Pio Clementino was born! Pope Pius VI also expanded the collection of the museum as well as expanding the museum building itself. Therefore, both of these popes had the honor of naming the museum, and are also the namesake of the museum. 

The collection of the Museo Pio Clementino was continually added on to, and is continually being expanded to this day. Visitors of the museums have many exhibitions to choose from. In the Vestibolo Quadrato, one can find the Cabinet of Apoxyomenos. In the Cortile Ottagono, one can explore the Hall of Animals, Statue Gallery, and the Hall of Busts. Other places to visit include the Mask Cabinet, the Museum Hall, the Hall of Muses, the Sala Rotunda (English: the round hall), Sala a Croce Greca (English: Greek cross), the Hall of the Chariot, and the Gallery of the Candelabra. 

The Museo Pio-Clementino is famous not only because of its history. The museum's „Scala Bramante,” which is a beautiful double-barreled, spiral-shaped staircase located at the exit of the museum, is also known to many people. 

Experience the Museo Pio-Clementino for free with the Rome City Pass and have your ticket into the Museo Pio-Clementino already in your pocket before you even depart for Rome!