Colosseum and Pantheon extend summer evening hours to manage crowds and heat

Starting August 1, 2026, the Colosseum and Pantheon in Rome will offer extended evening hours throughout August, a joint initiative by Italy's Ministry of Culture and Ministry of Tourism. The Colosseum will open until 11:30 PM on Fridays and Saturdays, with a break from 6:15 PM to 7:30 PM. The Pantheon will operate non-stop from 9 AM to 11 PM every day except Thursday. Milan's Castello Sforzesco will also extend its opening by two hours daily (5:30 PM to 7:30 PM) for the entire month. Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli emphasized the initiative enhances access to universal historical testimonies. Tourism Minister Gianmarco Mazzi noted that cultural tourism has become the primary travel motivation in Italy, rising from seventh to first place in ten years, according to ISNART data. Milan's culture councilor Tommaso Sacchi reported that Castello Sforzesco recorded half a million museum entries in the past year, contributing to a growth in civic museum visitors from 1.3 to 1.7 million since 2019. During extended hours, visitors to the castle can see the Museum of Ancient Art, Michelangelo's Pietà Rondanini, and the exhibition "Passione e Disegno" featuring works from Leonardo da Vinci to Keith Haring, with a reduced ticket.