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Discounts on Rome tickets

/ by Joz | Leave a comment

Publicly owned museums and monuments offer significant discounts to certain individuals based on age and other factors. These criteria do not apply to the Vatican Museums, the Galleria Doria Pamphili, or other private museums, which set their own discount policies.

To enjoy these benefits, you must present the corresponding documentation (ID for age verification, student ID, etc.). Please note! As a general rule, anyone who books a reduced-fare ticket and then cannot provide the necessary documentation will lose the money from their reservation and will have to pay the full price of the regular ticket.

The conditions are different for MUNICIPAL and STATE monuments.

1. State Monuments and Museums

Updated in 2024 |   These are the main state-owned museums and monuments in Rome. The most important ones are marked with asterisks and in bold:

In the vicinity of Rome:

  • Ostia Antica (***), Ostia Museum and Castle of Julius II
  • Hadrian’s Villa (Tivoli) (**)
  • Villa d’Este (Tivoli) (***)

Other smaller museums:

  • Boncompagni Ludovisi Museum (decorative arts and fashion 19th-20th centuries) (Porta Pia area)
  • Mario Praz House Museum (next to Piazza Navona)
  • Hendrik Christian Andersen House Museum, Norwegian-American sculptor (beyond Piazza del Popolo)

Of these, we have highlighted in bold the two that are most interesting, due to their central location and because they make for a pleasant visit.

Conditions for free entry

The following people are entitled to free entry to state-owned monuments (upon presentation at the ticket office of documentation proving their status):

  • Minors under 18 years of age of any nationality (not yet 18).
  • European Union (EU) tourist guides in the exercise of their professional activity.
  • Professors and students from the EU faculties of Architecture , Conservation of Cultural Heritage and other subjects related to Archaeology , Art History and Fine Arts (registration certificate for the current academic year required).
  • Groups of EU students accompanied by their teachers, with prior reservation and a document issued by the school principal.
  • Teaching staff ( primary and secondary), upon presentation of the certificate of the teaching institution, according to the official model established by the Ministry of Education.
  • People with disabilities and the family member accompanying them, or another companion who proves to belong to the assistance service.
  • Journalists registered with the professional association.

The first Sunday of the month all state museums and monuments are free, except for the MAXXI and the Domus Aurea.

In addition, everyone enjoys free admission on certain special dates throughout the year: during Culture Week , held annually on different dates by the Ministry for Cultural Heritage, the European Heritage Days, etc.

Conditions for reduced rate

The reduced fare has become “extremely reduced” in recent years. You only pay 2 euros. The following are entitled to it:

  • EU citizens aged 18-25 inclusive.

More information

2. Municipal Monuments and Museums

Updated in 2024 | This is a list of municipal museums and monuments in Rome. The number of asterisks indicates the importance of the monument in our opinion. Eight of these museums offer free admission.

ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUMS

  • Capitoline Museums (***). The oldest public museum in the world. A must-see.
  • Trajan’s Markets (**) and Museum of the Imperial Forums: a slice of life from ancient Rome.
  • Ara Pacis Museum (**). Monumental altar built to celebrate the Pax Augusta .
  • Central Montemartini (*). Far from the city center but accessible by metro (Line B, “Garbatella”). A curious museum in its concept: top-tier classical sculptures displayed in a former power station, with all the gigantic machinery on full display. A curious and interesting mix.
  • Museo della Civiltà Romana (*). Temporarily closed
  • Barracco Museum – Free and interesting (*). It contains ancient sculpture: Assyrian, Egyptian, Phoenician, Etruscan, Greco-Roman art… It’s near Piazza Navona. You can see it very quickly, and being so central and free, it’s worth checking out.
  • Museum of the Walls – Free and very charming (*). It’s far from the center, but if you’re passing by on your way to the Appian Way, don’t miss it. It’s not crowded and offers interesting views of the walls and the city.
  • Villa of Maxentius – Free . Next to the Via Appia Antica.

MODERN MUSEUMS

  • Museum of the Roman Republic and Garibaldi’s Memory – Free admission . Located on the Janiculum Hill and dedicated to the Roman Republic of 1849 and the figure of Garibaldi. For history buffs.
  • The Museum of Rome , located in the Palazzo Braschi, next to Piazza Navona, houses interesting works, curious objects such as models of Roman monuments and chariots, large canvases related to the history of Rome, and offers a magnificent view of Piazza Navona. The palace itself is well worth a visit. However, the entrance fee is quite expensive for a city like Rome, with so many spectacular museums.
  • Napoleonic Museum – Free admission . Located near Piazza Navona, overlooking the river. A must-see for fans of this important historical figure, who leaves no one indifferent and continues to generate popular interest due to his romantic aura.
  • Modern Art Gallery . Located between the Spanish Steps and Barberini Square.
  • Pietro Canonica Museum – Free and very pleasant to visit (*). This is the house museum of this internationally renowned late 19th-century sculptor, featuring a large collection of his work. It’s located in the Villa Borghese park. You can easily pass by if you’re visiting this magnificent park or the Galleria Borghese.
  • The Museum of Rome in Trastevere offers a glimpse into the everyday life of Rome. It contains paintings and engravings of lost corners of the city. More interesting for Romans than for tourists.
  • Villa Torlonia Museums. Far from the center. It contains various rooms of a 19th-century villa.

CONTEMPORARY MUSEUMS

  • Alberto Moravia House Museum , Italian writer (1907-1990). Located away from the city center. Open only for guided tours.
  • Carlo Bilotti Museum – Free admission . Located in the “aranciera” (orange grove) of Villa Borghese, it displays the contemporary art of collector Carlo Bilotti. It contains a significant number of works by Giorgio de Chirico. Recommended for art enthusiasts.

SCIENCE MUSEUMS

  • Planetarium (special discount conditions). Temporarily closed at its permanent location in the EUR district. In the meantime, it is operating at the Civic Museum of Zoology.
  • Civic Museum of Zoology
  • Museo di Casal de’ Pazzi – Free . Paleontology museum: fossils, etc. Very far from the center.

Conditions for free entry

The following people are entitled to free entry to municipal Museums and Monuments (except in the Ara Pacis exhibition area, the Planetarium and some multimedia shows):

  • Children under 6 years old .
  • People who make the visit for study or research reasons , supported by their academic institutions.
  • Groups of students accompanied by their teachers, with a document from the director of the educational center (it is best to make the reservation beforehand).
  • Professors and students from the European Union belonging to faculties of Architecture , Conservation of Cultural Heritage and other subjects related to Archaeology , Art History and Fine Arts (Certificate of registration for the current academic year is required).
  • The same applies to teachers and students of natural sciences, limited to science museums.
  • Journalists (presenting accreditation document).
  • People with disabilities , and their accompanying family member, or another companion who can prove they belong to the assistance service. In some cases, accreditation as a social and healthcare companion is required, while in others it is not.
  • EU tour guides and their interpreters (upon presentation of license). Guides may enter even if they are not accompanying a group.
  • Blood donors during the summer blood donation campaign (July 1 to October 15) upon presentation of a blood donation certificate.
  • Residents in Rome under 18 years of age.
  • Residents in Rome with the MIC Museums card (€5).

In addition, everyone gets in free on SOME DAYS of the year:

  • The first Sunday of every month.
  • On the occasion of some events: the Culture Week , convened annually on different dates by the Ministry for Cultural Heritage; during the European Heritage Days , on April 21 , anniversary of the founding of Rome (Natale di Roma), etc.

Conditions for reduced rate

They are entitled to reduced-price entry to municipal Museums and Monuments (except for the Ara Pacis exhibition area, the Planetarium and some multimedia shows):

  • Young people under 26 years of age (those aged 26 are not included).
  • Public school teachers.
  • Groups of at least 20 people.
  • 50% discount every Wednesday during the last two hours of opening.

Family rate

A group consisting of one or two adults and children under 18 years of age pays only one full-fare ticket. Tickets can be purchased at the ticket office or by calling the call center at 060608.

More information

3. Other considerations

  • Some temporary exhibitions within the Monuments may involve an additional cost, even for those who enjoy free admission.
  • The Roma Pass has a fixed price that doesn’t allow for discounts. If you qualify for a reduced rate, you won’t get your money’s worth. And if you’re entitled to free entry, you shouldn’t buy it at all.
  • The Vatican Museums have their own discount conditions , which you can consult in our corresponding section.

4. Frequently Asked Questions

These are the questions you usually ask us about discounts in Rome. If you don’t find what you’re looking for, contact us and ask your questions.

Age-based discounts

If I am 26 years old , am I entitled to reduced admission?

No. The limit is 25 years old. On the day you turn 26, you’re still within the deadline. The next day, you’re not.

Do people over 65 get any kind of discount?

No. Years ago they had free admission, but currently they are not even entitled to reduced admission.

Discounts for studies

To benefit from the discount at the Vatican Museums for student purposes (ages 19 to 25), is it necessary to have an International Student Card?

It’s not mandatory. You only need to present any document that proves your enrollment for the current year. A student ID card would suffice, as long as it shows the current academic year. Otherwise, you’ll need some other document.

I am a History student, am I entitled to free entry to Museums and Public Monuments?

No, only students of Architecture, Archaeology, Art History and Fine Arts have free admission.

Free admission for people with disabilities

What degree of disability do you need to have to enjoy free entry to Museums and Public Monuments?

Any officially recognized degree of disability entitles both the affected person and their companion to free entry.

Do I need to submit any special documentation to prove it?

All that is required is the documentation that each person possesses, issued by the relevant administration. In Spain, this is the Autonomous Community.

Does the accompanying person need to present any documentation?

In theory, the companion should be a family member or someone “who can prove their affiliation with social and healthcare assistance services.” In practice, most monuments and museums allow free entry to both the person with a disability and their companion without much formality. An exception is the Galleria Borghese, where proof of social and healthcare assistance is required.

It does not have to be a disability related to mobility (wheelchair, etc.), but it is valid for any type and degree of recognized disability, even if the accompanying person does not seem necessary.

Do we have to wait in line or go directly to the ticket office?

At popular monuments, you can use entrances reserved for people with disabilities, special permits, etc. It’s best to ask before getting in line.

And what about the Vatican Museums ?

To enter the Vatican Museums free of charge, a recognized disability rating of at least 75% is required. Free admission tickets (for the disabled person and their companion) cannot be reserved online. They must be collected at the “permessi speciali” ticket office or at the reception desk in the Museums’ lobby.

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