Civitavecchia Museum

Visiting the Civitavecchia Archeological Museum

The Civitavecchia Archeological Museum, also known as the National Archeological Museum of Civitavecchia, is a small three-level museum full of Etruscan and Roman artifacts collected on various archeological digs over the years.

The museum itself sits in a historical masterpiece, a building commissioned by Pope Clement XIII in the 18th century, and is located very close to another famous attraction in Civitavecchia, Fort Michelangelo.

If you’re arriving to Rome via a cruise ship then you will actually port in Civitavecchia, located about 40 minutes outside of the heart of Rome. Most cruise lines will then offer a bus ride into the actual city of Rome, but the city of Civitavecchia is historic and beautiful and you could make a lovely afternoon out of adventures here and then could head into the heart of Rome if you prefer.

The Archeological Museum is a beautiful spot and better yet – it’s free to get into! Yup, there is something free to do in Italy! Their hours of operation are Tuesday through Sunday from 8:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. and the address of the museum itself is: Largo Camillo Benso Conte di Cavour 1, 00053 Civitavecchia. If you’re coming around a holiday season they may have different hours on holidays so just be cognizant of that.

Spread over three floors and two of them to explore, you can mingle among the exhibits, artifacts and artwork and learn about the history of civilization from ancient times through the Middle Ages. One of the crowning features of the collection is a statue of Apollo dating back to the 1st century AD which was found during an excavation in the city of Santa Marinella. Other noteworthy pieces on collection include a replica of Athena Parthenos of Phidias, whose bust and head replica are on exhibit at the Louvre, and a marble head statue of the young Emperor Marcus Aurelius.

The three floors are teeming with archeological finds from excavations throughout the years which is incredible to imagine the excitement of unearthing one of these intact or partially intact pieces of history! On your discovery here you will see medieval ceramic objects and bronze items, busts of historical figures, and learn about the interwoven history of Rome and worlds ancient civilizations.