Palazzo Venezia in Rome: Museum, Free Garden and Mussolini's Balcony on Piazza Venezia

Updated on October 5, 2026

Palazzo Venezia closes off the north-west side of Piazza Venezia. The first great Renaissance palace in Rome, it was begun around 1455 for the Venetian cardinal Pietro Barbo, the future Pope Paul II. It later became the embassy of the Republic of Venice and, in the 20th century, the seat of Mussolini's government, who spoke to the crowds from its famous balcony. Today it houses the Museo Nazionale del Palazzo di Venezia, with decorative arts from the Middle Ages to the Baroque, and a large inner garden open to all. Allow one to one and a half hours.

Highlights

The façade and the balcony

The palace, in dark stone and crenellated like a fortress, dominates the square. The balcony on the façade is the one from which Mussolini addressed the crowd, notably on 10 June 1940 to announce Italy's entry into the war. It cannot be visited, but can be seen from the square.

The Giardino Grande

The inner garden, with its fountain, is open to everyone free of charge. It is a quiet break a step from the noisiest square in Rome, especially in summer.

The Museo Nazionale del Palazzo di Venezia

The rooms bring together ceramics, ivories, weapons, bronzes, tapestries and medieval and Renaissance paintings. The collections are more "decorative arts" than "great paintings": this is a visit for the curious, less well known than the Capitoline Museums.

The Sala del Mappamondo

Mussolini set up his office in this vast room, named after a world map once hung on its wall. The room is visited with the museum.

A joint ticket with the Vittoriano

The palace ticket is the Vittoriano ticket (€18, valid for seven days): it gives access to the panoramic terrace, the Risorgimento Museum and Palazzo Venezia. Reduced rate of €5 for ages 18–25 (EU citizens), free for under-18s and people with disabilities.

Opening hours and prices

Museum and garden open every day from 9:30am to 7:30pm, last entry 6:45pm. The garden is free. Evening openings are organised on some summer nights; check the official website.

Practical info

Tips

Use the single Vittoriano ticket to cover both monuments on the same day or within the week. After your visit, walk up in 5 minutes to the church of Santa Maria in Aracoeli and to Capitoline Square. The palace is a good winter plan when it rains: see Rome in winter. Prices and hours checked in October 2026; verify them on the museum's official website.

How to get there

Via del Plebiscito 118, 00186 Rome (museum entrance). Buses 40, 64, 70, 170 and tram 8, Piazza Venezia stops. Colosseo metro (line B), about 15 minutes on foot along Via dei Fori Imperiali.