The options at a glance
| Option | What is included | Indicative price | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Official ticket, on site or online | Museum and altar; temporary exhibitions cost extra | €14; €8.50 for ages 6 to 25; €1 online booking fee | Self-guided visit |
| Tiqets ticket | Museum entry only | Price shown at booking | Fixing your day, free cancellation until the day before |
| Immersive video "L'Ara si rivela" | Video mapping that restores the altar's colours | €15 (€13 reduced), extra | Anyone curious about the colours |
What the official ticket includes
The visit takes about an hour. The altar, voted by the Senate in 13 BC, stands in a glass and travertine pavilion designed by Richard Meier (2006). The €14 full price covers the museum; temporary exhibitions and the "L'Ara si rivela" video are charged separately. According to local press, the exhibition "Impressionism and Beyond" (Detroit Institute of Arts) runs from 29 September to 25 December 2026: confirm the dates and the supplement on the official site before buying. Entry is free for under-6s, Rome residents and, for everyone, on the first Sunday of the month (Sunday 1 November 2026). See our Ara Pacis page.
Tiqets or the official ticket?
The Tiqets listing (4.2 out of 5 from 152 reviews) sells entry only, with free cancellation and rescheduling until 11:59pm the day before. It includes no exhibition and no audio guide. The extra cost over the ticket desk is at most a few euros in fees: the ticket is mainly worth it to fix your day without queueing or surprises. An audio guide at €4 or a video guide at €6 can be rented on site; the reliefs mean much more with commentary. The virtual reality mentioned in some listings is not confirmed on the Tiqets page: official sources only mention the immersive video.
When a guided tour is worth it
The altar reads like a propaganda comic strip: the procession of Augustus's family, the goddess Tellus. A guide changes the visit if that is your subject. Otherwise the audio guide is enough for an hour. The Mausoleum of Augustus, opposite, has been closed since June 2022; the press announced a reopening for the end of 2026, with no official date confirmed, so do not count on it.
Planning the visit
The museum is on the Tiber, ten minutes on foot from the Pantheon and the Spanish Steps. On weekdays at opening it is calm. For city cards, see the Roma Pass and Omnia Card.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to book the Ara Pacis? No, but the Tiqets ticket fixes your day; it is cancellable until the day before.
How long does it take? About an hour.
Is it free? For under-6s, residents and everyone on the first Sunday of the month.
The Rome Authority editorial team, updated 30 October 2026.
