The first Sunday of the month: the rule to remember
On the first Sunday of every month, Italian state museums and sites (the "Domenica al museo" scheme) and the City of Rome's museums are free for everyone, residents or not. Entry is free within capacity limits; expect queues at the best-known sites.
The next first Sundays: 1 November 2026, 6 December 2026, 3 January 2027, 7 February 2027, 7 March 2027 and 4 April 2027. As the calendar can change (public holidays, works), check the museum's site the day before.
State museums and sites
They come under the Ministry of Culture. Among the most interesting in Rome:
- the Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill: free tickets collected on the day at the ticket offices, no booking; the arena, underground levels and upper tiers stay closed on those days;
- the Pantheon: free tickets are handed out at the ticket office;
- Palazzo Altemps, Palazzo Massimo and the Baths of Diocletian, sites of the National Roman Museum;
- the Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderna, on the edge of the Villa Borghese;
- Palazzo Barberini, the Galleria Spada, the Villa Giulia and Castel Sant'Angelo.
The Borghese Gallery works with timed slots to book: read its page before counting on free entry.
City of Rome museums
On the same Sunday, the municipal museums are free for everyone: the Capitoline Museums, the Ara Pacis, the Trajan's Markets, the Centrale Montemartini, the Museo di Roma at Palazzo Braschi and the museums of the Villa Torlonia. Residents of Rome and its metropolitan city enter these museums free all year, with ID. The MIC Card, at €5, opens the City museums for 12 months (prices checked in October 2026).
The last Sunday of the month: the Vatican Museums
The Vatican Museums, closed on Sundays, open free on the last Sunday of every month, from 9am to 2pm (last entry 12.30pm), Sistine Chapel included. There is no free opening when that Sunday falls on Easter, 29 June or 25, 26 and 31 December. Expect a long queue: arrive well before opening, and bear in mind that the normal ticket is often better value than an hour in line.
Permanent free entry
- Under-18s enter state museums free. European Union citizens aged 18 to 25 pay a reduced fee, €2 in the case of the National Roman Museum.
- Residents of Rome enter the City museums free.
- Children under 6, people with disabilities and their companion enter the municipal museums free.
- The Pantheon is free for under-18s and during the Sunday Mass at 10.30am.
Churches: free museums every day
Entry to Rome's churches is free, and many hold masterpieces. Respect services and cover shoulders and knees. See them all in our guide to churches to visit in Rome and in Free Rome. Among the most interesting: St Peter's Basilica (free entry), San Luigi dei Francesi with its three Caravaggios, or Santa Maria Maggiore.
Summary table
| Museum or site | Normal price | Free when |
|---|---|---|
| Colosseum, Forum, Palatine | Paid, booking required | First Sunday of the month |
| Pantheon | €7 | First Sunday, under-18s |
| Palazzo Altemps, Palazzo Massimo, Baths of Diocletian | €15 (single ticket) | First Sunday, under-18s |
| Museo di Roma, Palazzo Braschi | €11 | First Sunday, Rome residents |
| Capitoline Museums | Paid | First Sunday, Rome residents |
| Vatican Museums | Paid | Last Sunday, 9am-2pm |
| Borghese Gallery | Paid, booking compulsory | See its page |
| Villa Torlonia | Paid | First Sunday, Rome residents |
Prices checked in October 2026.
Going further
For more ideas that cost nothing, read Free Rome; to plan your budget, see the cost of a trip to Rome; and for a day of bad weather, see Rome when it rains.
