Antiquarium del Celio: Rome's New Museum Near Colosseo Nears Completion

Key facts

• The Antiquarium Comunale del Celio is being restored and will reopen as a museum near the Colosseum in Rome.
• The building was originally constructed between 1885 and 1890 by architect Costantino Sneider under Rodolfo Lanciani's direction.
• The museum was closed in December 1939 due to structural problems caused by subway excavations.
• The restoration is funded by the PNRR with an initial budget of €16 million, later reduced to €10 million.
• Construction is expected to conclude by August 31, according to the Sovrintendenza Capitolina.
• The new museum will have six exhibition halls on the ground floor, including a central hall with a full-height glass facade.
• The museum will display artifacts from post-unification Rome's excavations that have been in storage for decades.
• The project will connect with the Parco Archeologico del Celio and the Museo della Forma Urbis, which opened in 2024.
• Recent improvements in the area include the redevelopment of Via di San Gregorio and the revival of the Casina del Salvi.
• Critics have questioned the lack of an international architecture competition for the project.