Ara Pacis Museum
Museo dell'Ara Pacis
A modern museum housing the Ara Pacis, the marble Altar of Peace from the Augustan era. Its finely carved reliefs are a masterpiece of Roman imperial art.
The Altar of Peace was built between 13 and 9 BC to commemorate the peace Augustus brought after returning from Spain and Gaul. Its marble reliefs on all four sides depict processions of the imperial family and mythological scenes, making it a peak of Augustan art. The altar was reassembled in the 1930s and is now housed in a white glass pavilion designed by the American architect Richard Meier. The building itself is controversial and is also a highlight. Tickets cost about €13, with discounts for Rome residents. The museum is often free on the first Sunday of each month. It sits on the banks of the Tiber, across the road from the Mausoleum of Augustus. It is about a 10-minute walk from the Spanish Steps.
Opening hours
09:30–19:30 (last entry 18:30)
Nearby sights
- Mausoleum of Augustus
- Piazza del Popolo
- Spanish Steps
- Pantheon
- Piazza Navona
- Castel Sant'Angelo
- Campo de' Fiori
- Church of the Gesù