Museo delle mura
Museum of Roma Capitale inside Porta San Sebastiano, on the Via Appia, with models and panels on the Aurelian Walls and access to a section of the wall walkway.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The museum is housed in Porta San Sebastiano, also known as Porta Appia, one of the main gates of the Aurelian Walls. After alterations to the internal rooms in the 1930s, in 1971 the municipal administration set up a small museum of the walls, with the possibility of walking a section of the walkway on Sundays. In 1984 the rooms were temporarily reopened for the exhibition “Roma sotterranea”, and in 1989 the Museo delle Mura was formally established. The present display dates from 1990, and the walkway was restored for the Jubilee of 2000.
The route through the rooms uses panels, models and casts to illustrate the history of the Aurelian Walls, their construction, the gates of the city and the Via Appia. One room is devoted to the architectural phases of Porta San Sebastiano, another to the medieval and modern periods, from the 16th to the 20th century. In room VII are the model of the Bastione Ardeatino, designed by Antonio da Sangallo the Younger, and some charcoal drawings. One room holds a floor mosaic of 1940–1943.
From the last room you can access a section of about 350 metres of wall walkway: a covered gallery, interrupted by ten towers, which ends in an open path protected by battlements.
Highlights
- Section of about 350 metres of the walkway of the Aurelian Walls
- Reconstruction models of the walls and bastions, including the Bastione Ardeatino by Antonio da Sangallo the Younger
- Panels and casts on the city gates and the Via Appia
- Floor mosaic of 1940–1943 in the west tower
- Free admission
Permanent exhibition
- Percorso nelle sale e camminamento di ronda – Seven rooms with models, panels and casts on the Aurelian Walls and the gates of Rome, with access to a section of about 350 metres of the walkway on the walls.
- Operated by
- Roma Capitale – Sovrintendenza Capitolina ai Beni Culturali
- Visitors per year
- approx. 22,500 (2022)
Admission & discounts
Admission is free.
Admission is free; the free ticket is collected on site. Groups of 5 to 20 people plus the guide only with free booking on 060608, with a stay of up to 60 minutes. Guided tours are paid and by reservation, in several languages.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible: not available
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome: no information
- Tactile models & exhibits
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The museum is not accessible to people with mobility impairments: the upper floors can only be reached by stairs, and the toilet is also on the second floor. There is a tactile orientation map outside, permanent tactile supports (casts, models and panels) and tactile-sensory tours on request (“Toccare un segno urbano”); a video station in LIS is near the entrance.
Kids & families
Educational programmes are offered for schools and for everyone.
Getting there & parking
The museum is located in Porta San Sebastiano, on the Via Appia.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Guided tours in several languages, paid and by reservation, for the museum route and/or the exhibitions. The walkway can be reached only from room VII. |
