This beautiful 16th-century villa is not only an oasis of culture and greenery, but it also hosts one of the finest collections of Etruscan art that Rome has to offer. If you’re looking to beat the crowds and get a taste of ancient art, this is the place to go.
vvoennyy/DepositphotosNational Etruscan Museum Tickets
If you’re looking for something a bit quieter and less crowded in Rome, this museum is a good choice. It’s all about the Etruscans, the people who lived in Italy before the Romans. You’ll see things like old pottery, bronze figures, and objects from ancient tombs. The museum is inside a beautiful old villa that used to belong to a pope.
You can go straight in without waiting in line, which is super handy if you’re short on time. It’s a calm place to walk around and learn something new, especially if you’re near Villa Borghese. There’s an optional audio guide in English, French, German, or Italian if you want a bit more info while you explore.
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If you’re planning to see places like the Colosseum and the Vatican while you’re in Rome, the Rome Tourist Card is actually pretty handy. It gives you entry to a few top spots, lets you skip a lot of the lines, and it’s all digital, which makes things easier.
You can now also book your airport transfer when you buy the card. That includes the Fiumicino and Ciampino airport buses, or the Leonardo Express train.
After you book, you get a 10% discount on other places too, like the Borghese Gallery, Capitoline Museums, Villa Medici, and whichever place you didn’t choose in your pass (like St. Peter’s Basilica, the Pantheon, or Castel Sant’Angelo). It also works for bike tours, Hop-on Hop-off bus, and more.
Highlights
Tickets & Prices
Explore Villa Giulia and/or the National Etruscan Museum at your own pace with one of the tickets below. Simply purchase your tickets online or at the door, and you’re good to go. Tickets are valid for one entrance on the chosen date of your visit.
- Skip The Line Entrance – Skip the line entrance ticket to the National Etruscan Museum of Villa Giulia.
Full Price
This ticket grants you access to Villa Giulia and the National Etruscan Museum.
- For adults over the age of 18.
Villa Ticket
This ticket grants you access to only the villa, excluding the museum.
- For adults over the age of 18.
Reduced Price
This ticket grants you access to both the villa and the museum.
- For EU and EAA citizens between the ages of 18 and 25.
Free Admission
- For children under the age of 18.
- Free admission on the first Sunday of the month and April 25, June 2 and November 4.
Additional Information:
- For an additional fee, you can hire an audio guide in the villa bookshop in either English, Italian, French, German, Spanish, or Russian.
Plan Your Visit
Villa Giulia is open Tuesday to Sunday. It is closed on Mondays, 25 December, and 1 January.
| Days | Hours | Last entry |
|---|---|---|
| Tuesday – Sunday | 8:30 – 19:30 | 18:30 |
| Monday | Closed | |
| 25 Dec & 1 Jan | Closed |
Rooms stop admitting visitors at 19:00, so 18:30 is the true cut-off if you want time to explore. The Macchina del Tempio and the Ori Castellani room are closed on free-admission days: the first Sunday of the month and the national holidays April 25, June 2, and November 4.
A note on Villa Poniatowski: the museum’s second branch is currently closed for renovation work and is expected to reopen in autumn 2026.
Some rooms may also be temporarily unavailable due to ongoing conservation work. Always check the official website before your visit to confirm times for your specific date.
Tip: Tuesday and Wednesday mornings are the quietest. Free-admission Sundays are noticeably busier than usual.
Villa Giulia is in the Parioli district, just north of Villa Borghese. It sits a bit outside the main tourist center, which keeps crowds manageable most days.
- Tram: Lines 2, 3, and 19 stop closest to the museum. From Piazza del Popolo, tram 2 gets you there in a few stops. This is the most direct option.
- Metro: Take Line A to Flaminio, then walk north through Villa Borghese. The museum is about a 14-minute walk from the station exit.
- Bus: Line 982 runs to the Buozzi/Monti Parioli stop, a short walk from the entrance.
- Car: Street parking is available on the surrounding roads in Parioli. The Villa Borghese garage at Viale del Galoppatoio is also within walking distance, though it fills up on weekends.
The main entrance faces Piazzale di Villa Giulia. There is no secondary entrance.
National Etruscan Museum of Villa Giulia
Piazzale di Villa Giulia 9, 00196 Roma RM, Italy · Google Maps
Visitors with mobility impairments can access a number of rooms through alternative routes, elevators, and stair lifts. Note that stair lifts are not yet approved for powered wheelchairs. A manual wheelchair is available to borrow at the entrance, free of charge, on request.
For blind or visually impaired visitors, the museum provides tactile reproductions of selected objects to accompany room visits. Specialist-led guided tactile tours are also available on request.
For visitors with hearing impairments, a free Italian Sign Language (LIS) videoguide covers the Villa Giulia collection. It can be downloaded on Apple and Android devices, or accessed online at videoguidalis.it.
For accessibility inquiries, contact the museum at mn-etru.accessibilita@cultura.gov.it or by phone at +39 06 3226571.
What to See & Do (Pictures)
Villa Giulia and National Etruscan Museum tickets give you access to the following areas:
The Collection at Villa Giulia
Set inside a magnificent and ornately frescoed 16th-century Mannerist Villa, constructed for Pope Julius III, lies the primary collection of the National Etruscan Museum, which houses some of the most famous pieces of Etruscan art in the world.
The museum’s collection includes sculptures, pottery, jewelry, and funerary urns, among other things. They are arranged according to period and place of origin and spread across two floors of the villa.
BY-SA 4.0 International Sailko/Wikimedia CommonsOne of the museum’s masterpieces is the world-renowned Sarcophagus of the Spouses, a funeral receptacle made of fired clay depicting a lounging couple with enigmatic ‘archaic’ smiles on their faces.
Other unmissable pieces are the large terracotta statue known as the Apollo of Veii and the Pyrgi Tablets: gold tablets featuring 2500-year-old texts in Etruscan and Phoenician.
The Gardens
BY-SA 4.0 International Sailko/Wikimedia CommonsThe Villa Giulia gardens are a wonderful place to relax amidst the greenery after your visit to the museum. Among the landscaped gardens with terraces and fountains, can be found a life-size reproduction of a 4th-century temple, named the Temple of Alatri, and a monument to the nymphs, known as a ‘nymphaeum’, featuring a spectacular mosaic floor set in a water garden.
The gardens are also home to the museum restaurant, which serves local and international dishes, and a new purpose-built educational pavilion, which hosts conferences, seminars, and workshops.
The Museum
The National Etruscan Museum presents one of the finest collections of Etrurian art and artifacts in Rome and is a must-see for anyone wanting to learn about this mysterious and ancient civilization.
Look out for the museum’s masterpieces, such as the world-famous Sarcophagus of the Spouses, featuring an embracing couple with enigmatic smiles; and the 2500-year-old Pyrgi Tablets, featuring inscriptions in Etruscan and Phoenician languages on gold tablets.
The Bookshop
The bookshop sells books for both children and adults on topics relating to Etruria, Greece, and ancient Rome, as well as doubling as the ticket office for the museum. It also sells a range of souvenirs and gift products, such as postcards posters and reproductions of Etruscan artifacts.
The Educational Pavilion
Situated in one of the villa’s gardens, this new pavilion is dedicated to educational and didactic activities. It’s equipped with everything necessary to host conferences, seminars, and workshops.
If you’re interested in finding out about events happening during your stay, check out the museoetru.it website for more information.
The Restaurant
Stop for a bite to eat before you go to the museum restaurant located behind the nymphaeum. Taste local and international dishes inside a stunning glass structure immersed in the greenery of the garden.
Did You Know That: 3 Interesting Facts
- Since 1953, the nymphaeum has been the setting for the famous Strega Prize, Italy’s most prestigious literary award.
- The villa’s central fountain is supplied by water from the Acqua Vergine, one of Rome’s aqueducts, which also delivers water to the Trevi Fountain.
- Pope Julius III was a connoisseur and lover of the arts. He took a keen interest in the villa’s design and spent a fortune on decorating it, making it one of the most beautiful examples of Mannerist architecture.
History
Villa Giulia is a stunning Renaissance villa that houses the world’s finest collection of Etruscan art. Built as a papal retreat, it now offers visitors a peaceful escape filled with ancient treasures and beautiful gardens.
1550-1555
Villa Giulia was built by Giacomo Barozzi da Vignola for Pope Julius III. The gardens were designed by Bartolomeo Ammanati under Giorgio Vasari’s supervision, with Michelangelo contributing to some works.
After 1555
Following Julius III’s death, Pope Paul IV confiscated all his former properties. The villa was divided, with part becoming property of the Apostolic Chamber.
1769
Pope Clement XIV restored the building. It was used by the army for storage and quartering, and also housed a veterinary school.
1870
The villa became property of the Kingdom of Italy, which used it to exhibit materials found between the Cimini mountains and the Tiber River.
1889
The National Etruscan Museum was officially founded and has remained at Villa Giulia ever since.
Present day
The villa welcomes visitors from around the world. Some come to view impressive Etruscan art, while others seek respite from the busy tourist center in the peaceful mansion and gardens.
FAQs
What is Villa Giulia famous for?
It holds one of the world’s finest collections of Etruscan art, set inside a 16th-century Mannerist villa built for Pope Julius III. The art and artifacts tell the story of the Etruscans, the people who came before the Romans.
What art can you see at Villa Giulia?
The collection runs to sculptures, pottery, jewelry, and funerary urns, arranged by period and place of origin across two floors. The standout pieces are the Sarcophagus of the Spouses, a fired-clay funeral urn showing a reclining couple with faint archaic smiles, the large terracotta statue known as the Apollo of Veii, and the Pyrgi Tablets, gold tablets carrying 2,500-year-old texts in Etruscan and Phoenician.
What are the opening hours for Villa Giulia?
The villa is open Tuesday to Sunday, 9:00 to 20:00 in summer and 8:30 to 19:30 in winter, with last admission one hour before closing. It is closed on Mondays, 25 December, and 1 January.
Where is the Etruscan museum in Rome?
The National Etruscan Museum is at Villa Giulia in the north of Rome, just outside the city center and close to the Villa Borghese gardens. The address is Piazzale di Villa Giulia, 9. Trams 2, 3, and 19 stop closest, or take Metro Line A to Flaminio and walk about 13 minutes.
Is Villa Giulia worth visiting?
If you want Etruscan art and a quieter museum away from the busy tourist center, yes. The villa pairs the finest Etruscan collection in Rome with frescoed Mannerist rooms and peaceful gardens, so you get the ancient art and a break from the crowds in one stop.
Do you need tickets for Villa Giulia?
Yes. You can buy at the door or book online before you go, and a ticket is valid for one entrance on your chosen date. To walk straight in, there is a skip-the-line entrance ticket for the National Etruscan Museum of Villa Giulia.