Italy's museums open for free on first Sunday of each month.

State museums and archaeological sites in Rome and across Italy will open their doors for free on Sunday 1 October as part of the monthly Domenica al Museo initiative.

The nationwide Domenica al Museo scheme, launched in 2014, is held every first Sunday of the month in tandem with the monthly free entry for Rome's municipal museums.

This Sunday almost all museums and archaeological sites in Rome will be open for free, however some museums such as Galleria Borghese require booking in advance.

The Pantheon, which introduced an entry fee for tourists earlier this year, is included in the free openings on 1 October however visitors must book in advance online.

Il 1° ottobre torna #domenicalmuseo, l’iniziativa del @MiC_Italia che consente l’ingresso gratuito, ogni prima domenica del mese, in musei, parchi archeologici, castelli, complessi monumentali, ville e giardini statali.

Consulta l’elenco delle aperturehttps://t.co/0dC2I9SxrH pic.twitter.com/C26g2BDVwX

— museitaliani (@museitaliani) September 26, 2023

The double initiative by the state and the city of Rome allows free access to all municipal museums in Rome including the Ara Pacis and the Capitoline Museums as well as the archaeological area of the Circus Maximus.

The newly-opened area sacra at Largo Argentina will also be open to the public for free this Sunday, from 09.30 to 19.00 with last entry at 18.00.

Reservations to Rome's museums and archaeological sites on Sunday 6 August are only required for groups, for more information see city website or tel. 060608.

Cover image: Centrale Montemartini. Photo Wanted in Rome.