ROME – Rome Capital is introducing a new tariff system for its Civic Museums and some of the city’s main monumental sites. This initiative aims to strengthen the protection, valorisation, and accessibility of its cultural heritage. The announcement, made on December 19, 2025, signifies a significant shift in the policy governing the use of Rome’s cultural assets, which are increasingly under international scrutiny. The new model, set to take effect from February 1, 2026, seeks to be more equitable, sustainable, and focused on shared responsibility among visitors. The new tariff system was officially presented in the Sala Esedra of the Marcus Aurelius Museum, with Mayor of Rome Roberto Gualtieri, Tourism Councillor Alessandro Onorato, Culture Councillor Massimiliano Smeriglio, and Capitol Superintendent of Cultural Heritage Claudio Parisi Presicce in attendance, underscoring the strategic importance of this reform for the future of the Capital’s cultural heritage.
Extended Free Access for Metropolitan City Residents
The new measure grants free access to civic museums and monuments under the jurisdiction of Rome Capital for all residents of Rome and the Metropolitan City. This aims to encourage cultural participation among citizens and strengthen the bond between historical-artistic heritage and the local community. Concurrently, additional resources generated from paid tickets for non-residents will be allocated to the maintenance of museum venues and the conservation of collections, thereby enhancing the overall visitor experience.
Museums Undergoing Tariff Changes
Under the new system, five previously free museums and sites will now charge non-residents for entry: the Giovanni Barracco Museum of Ancient Sculpture, the Carlo Bilotti Museum at the Orangery of Villa Borghese, the Pietro Canonica Museum at Villa Borghese, the Napoleonic Museum, and the Villa of Maxentius. Conversely, numerous museums that currently charge an entry fee will become free for residents of Rome and the Metropolitan City. These include the Capitoline Museums, Trajan’s Markets – Museum of the Imperial Fora, the Ara Pacis Museum, Centrale Montemartini, the Museum of Forma Urbis in the Caelian Archaeological Park, the Sacred Area of Largo Argentina, the archaeological area of Circus Maximus, the Museum of Rome in Palazzo Braschi, the Museum of Rome in Trastevere, the Gallery of Modern Art, the Museums of Villa Torlonia, and the Civic Museum of Zoology.
Museums Remaining Universally Free
The Museum of the Roman Republic and Garibaldine Memory, the Museum of Casal de’ Pazzi, the Museum of the Walls, and the Alberto Moravia House Museum will remain free for everyone, regardless of residency, affirming a commitment to universal accessibility for these specific museum institutions.
Exclusions from Free Access
The new tariff regime does not apply to special events and temporary exhibitions hosted in specific venues, such as the Ara Pacis, Villa Caffarelli at the Capitoline Museums, and the first-floor rooms of the Museum of Rome in Palazzo Braschi. Excluded from free access are also Planetarium shows, bunker tours at Villa Torlonia, and the immersive Circo Maximo Experience.
Trevi Fountain to Introduce Access Ticket
One of the most significant changes involves the Trevi Fountain, for which a permanent access fee of two euros will be introduced for the inner perimeter of the basin. This decision stems from a trial conducted during maintenance work completed in December 2024, which provided data on visitor flows and allowed for testing new methods to combat overcrowding and protect the monument. The Trevi Fountain records an average of 30,000 daily visitors, with peaks reaching 70,000, totaling over 9 million annual visits.
Free Access, Concessions, and Operating Hours
Access to the Trevi Fountain will remain free for residents of Rome and the Metropolitan City with a valid ID, MIC Card holders, people with disabilities and their companions, and children under five years old. The paid ticket will be required between 9 AM and 10 PM and will also be in effect on the first Sunday of each month. To improve visitor flow management and monument protection, enhancements to the fencing are planned, a joint effort between the Capitoline Superintendency and the Special Superintendency for Archaeology, Fine Arts, and Landscape of Rome. Work will commence on January 2 and will be carried out exclusively during nighttime hours.
Ticket Purchase Methods and Revenue Allocation
Tickets for access to the Trevi Fountain can be purchased at ten SmartPOS stations at the entrance, online via the fontanaditrevi.roma.it website, and at the ticket offices of the Museum System, Tourist Infopoints, and affiliated sales points. The ticket will be open-ended and will not include pre-sale surcharges. Revenues will be reinvested in the conservation and valorisation of monumental heritage, also in synergy with interventions from the Caput Mundi program funded by the Pnrr.
The Role of the MIC Card
The MIC Card will remain in effect, strengthened and confirmed as a central tool to promote access to the city’s museum and monumental heritage. Residents without a MIC Card can access Civic Museums for free by presenting an ID, without skip-the-line privileges, and will have free, skip-the-line access to the Trevi Fountain. For temporary exhibitions and special events, the standard tariff will apply. MIC Card holders, however, will benefit from unlimited and free access to Civic Museums, skip-the-line entry, and pre-purchase via app, in addition to reduced tariffs for temporary exhibitions and special events.
Source: https://urloweb.com/notizie/cronaca-di-roma/al-via-il-nuovo-sistema-tariffario-per-musei-e-monumenti-di-roma/
