Centrale Montemartini: ancient statues in a power station

Updated on October 5, 2026

The Centrale Montemartini, at Via Ostiense 106, is an annex of the Capitoline Museums housed in Rome's former power station in the Ostiense district: ancient statues and mosaics stand among turbines, boilers and diesel engines. The contrast between white marble and black steel makes it one of the most original museums in the city, and one of the least crowded. It is open Tuesday to Sunday, 9am to 7pm; a ticket costs €5.50, with no exhibition supplement. Allow about 1.5 hours. The visit combines well with the Pyramid of Cestius and the Non-Catholic Cemetery, a few metro stops away.

Highlights

The Machine Hall

The former heart of the power station, built in the early 20th century, still holds its original turbines and engines. Roman-era marble statues stand at the foot of the machines, lit as in an art gallery: copies of Greek masterpieces, portraits from the Republic and the Empire.

The Boiler Room

Dominated by the enormous steam boiler, it displays mosaics and sculptures found in Rome's excavations in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The statues in front of the boiler are the most photographed view in the museum.

A museum born of a move

The works come from the collections of the Capitoline Museums. They were installed here in 1997 to free up rooms during the renovation of the museums on the hill; visitors liked the result so much that the display became permanent.

Opening hours and prices

Open Tuesday to Sunday from 9am to 7pm (last entry one hour before closing). Closed on Mondays, 1 May and 25 December; reduced hours on 24 and 31 December (9am-2pm). Full-price ticket €5.50, reduced €4.50. Free admission on the first Sunday of the month.

Practical info

Tips

The Capitolini Card (€15.50, reduced €11.50) gives access to the Capitoline Museums and the Centrale Montemartini for 7 days; the Roma Pass is accepted. Prices and hours were taken from the museum's official website in October 2026: check them before you go, as they sometimes change. It is quiet on weekdays, a good plan when the big sights are packed.

How to get there

Via Ostiense 106, 00154 Rome. Metro line B, Garbatella station (about 10 minutes on foot) or Piramide (about 15 minutes on foot); several buses, including the 23, run along Via Ostiense. The museum lies just beyond Testaccio: see our guide to Ostiense and Garbatella.