Centrale Montemartini

Interesting facts

1. 1

   The museum displays artifacts found during the rapid urban expansion of Rome in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

2. 2

   Several of the massive, multicolored diesel engines preserved in the Machine Hall remain in their original positions from the plant's operational period.

3. 3

   The collection includes the colossal head and foot of a statue of Goddess Fortuna, showcasing the sheer scale of Roman monumental sculpture.

4. 4

   The mosaics displayed were primarily salvaged from the ancient necropolises and residential complexes of the Esquiline Hill.

5. 5

   The site was the first public thermoelectric power station in Rome, built in 1912.

Overview

Centrale Montemartini houses a significant collection of classical Roman sculpture within the restored Giovanni Montemartini thermoelectric power plant. The museum juxtaposes white marble statues against the industrial backdrop of massive diesel engines and steam boilers. It originated as a temporary exhibition in 1997 to display works from the Capitoline Museums during renovations. The collection focuses on Republican and Imperial era art, including mosaics and architectural fragments. It is located in the Ostiense district along the Tiber river. The juxtaposition of industrial machinery and antiquity creates a unique spatial aesthetic. It operates as a satellite site of the Capitoline Museums system. The plant remained in active service until the mid-1960s before being decommissioned.

Insider tips

• Visit during a weekday afternoon to experience the galleries with minimal crowds.

• Bring a camera with a wide-angle lens to capture the scale of the machinery alongside the statues.

• Check the official website for temporary exhibition updates, as the layout occasionally shifts.