Rome Introduces New Ticketing System for Museums and Monuments
Date Published: December 23, 2025
Last Updated: December 23, 2025
Applies to: All visitors to Rome’s civic museums and monuments, including residents
From February 1, 2026, Rome will roll out a new tariff system impacting access to its civic museums and monuments under the jurisdiction of Roma Capitale. This initiative, spearheaded by the Capitoline administration, aims to regulate access and generate revenue for the city’s cultural heritage. The changes will affect both tourists and residents, with specific sites transitioning from free to paid entry.
What Changes for Tourists and Non-Residents?
The new system officially takes effect on February 1, 2026. This means that throughout the Christmas holiday season and January 2026, current access rules will remain in place, including free entry to the Trevi Fountain.
However, starting in February, a €2 fee will be introduced for access to the basin area of the Trevi Fountain. Additionally, five civic museums will also introduce paid entry for tourists and non-residents:
- Giovanni Barracco Museum of Ancient Sculpture
- Carlo Bilotti Museum – Aranciera di Villa Borghese
- Pietro Canonica Museum
- Napoleonic Museum
- Villa of Maxentius
The following cultural sites will remain free for everyone, including tourists and residents:
- Museum of the Roman Republic and Garibaldi’s Memory
- Museum of Casal de’ Pazzi
- Museum of the Walls
- Alberto Moravia House Museum
What Changes for Rome Residents?
Residents of the Metropolitan City of Rome will benefit from several advantages under the new system. In addition to maintaining free access to the immediate area of the Trevi Fountain, they will also gain free entry to 12 cultural sites that were previously subject to a fee:
- Capitoline Museums
- Trajan’s Markets – Museum of the Imperial Forums
- Ara Pacis Museum
- Centrale Montemartini
- Museum of Forma Urbis (Archaeological Park of Celio)
- Sacred Area of Largo Argentina
- Archaeological Area of Circus Maximus
- Museum of Rome at Palazzo Braschi
- Museum of Rome in Trastevere
- Modern Art Gallery
- Museums of Villa Torlonia
- Civic Museum of Zoology
However, residents will still need to purchase tickets for:
- Special events and temporary exhibitions in specific venues (Ara Pacis, Villa Caffarelli at the Capitoline Museums, first-floor rooms of the Museum of Rome at Palazzo Braschi)
- Planetarium shows
- Visits to the Villa Torlonia bunker
- Circus Maximus Experience
What Changes for Mic Card Holders?
Mic Card holders (available for €5 to residents, students, and those domiciled in the Metropolitan City of Rome, valid for one year) will continue to enjoy unlimited free access to civic museums. Additionally, they will:
- Receive free entry to the Trevi Fountain basin
- Be able to skip queues
- Benefit from reduced prices for special events and temporary exhibitions
Non-Mic Card holders, even if residents, while enjoying free access to civic museums, will still need to queue and pay standard prices for exhibitions and special events.
Access to the Trevi Fountain: A Closer Look
To summarize the new rules for the Trevi Fountain, effective February 2026: the changes only apply to the basin area, the section closest to the monument. A €2 ticket will be required to enter this area, from 9:00 AM to 10:00 PM.
Free entry to the Trevi Fountain basin will be granted to:
- Rome residents
- Mic Card holders
- People with disabilities and their companions
- Children up to 5 years of age
This fee will also apply on the first Sunday of each month. To improve crowd management and monument protection, enhancements to the fencing will be implemented, a joint effort between the Capitoline Superintendency and the Special Superintendency for Archaeology, Fine Arts, and Landscape of Rome. These works are scheduled to begin on January 2, 2026, and will be carried out exclusively during nighttime hours.
Tickets for the Trevi Fountain basin can be purchased through several channels:
- At 10 SmartPOS stations located at the entrance
- Online via fontanaditrevi.roma.it (website not yet active)
- At the Musei System ticket offices
- At Tourist Infopoints
- At affiliated sales points
Key Information and Contacts
When: New tariff system effective February 1, 2026.
Where: Civic museums and monuments under Roma Capitale jurisdiction, including the Trevi Fountain basin.
Who: Tourists, non-residents, and residents of the Metropolitan City of Rome.
Important Note: The changes for the Trevi Fountain basin specifically refer to the immediate area around the monument, not the general public viewing area.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: Will all museums in Rome become paid for tourists?
A: No, only five previously free civic museums will introduce a fee for tourists. Several other sites will remain free for everyone.
Q: Do residents need to pay for the Trevi Fountain?
A: No, residents of the Metropolitan City of Rome will continue to have free access to the Trevi Fountain basin.
Q: When can I buy tickets for the Trevi Fountain online?
A: The website fontanaditrevi.roma.it is not yet active, but will be the official online channel for ticket purchases.
Q: What is a Mic Card and who can get it?
A: The Mic Card is a yearly pass for €5, available to residents, students, and those domiciled in the Metropolitan City of Rome, offering free and unlimited access to civic museums and other benefits.
Q: Will the Trevi Fountain works affect access before February 2026?
A: The enhancement works for the Trevi Fountain will begin on January 2, 2026, and will be carried out at night, aiming to minimize disruption to visitors before the new tariff system begins.
Contact Information
For further information, please refer to the official websites of Roma Capitale’s cultural department or visit Tourist Infopoints once the new system is in place.
Source: romatoday.it
