Masterpieces of ancient sculpture and precious artefacts found in the excavations of the late 19th century and the 1930s displayed in a suggestive play of contrasts, next to the old production machinery.
Conversion into a museum of an industrial archeology building, the first public plant for the production of electricity, named after Giovanni Montemartini, is today the second exhibition center of the Capitoline Museums.
An extraordinary example of intertwining classic and industrial with the Machinery of the Power Plant forming the backdrop to the Sculptures or vice versa, depending on the observation points inside the room.
Most of the art finds are divided into three main themes: Republican Rome in the “Colonne room”; the monumental center of Rome, in the “Machine room”; the Gardens, the Imperial Residences and the Domus in the “Boiler Room”.
Visiting the museum is taking a journey back into the history of Rome: the modern city, the industrial one, told through the machinery and furnishings still present inside, pertinent to the first function of the building; the ancient city, illustrated through some exceptional archaeological finds, displayed where possible based on their contexts of origin.
Starting from the oldest works of art, dating back to the Rome of the republican age, the route winds through the grandiose statuary groups of the temples and public buildings of the monumental centre, and then ends with the precious sculptures and mosaics that decorated the rich private homes.
On the ground floor there is a space reserved for temporary exhibitions.
A room is dedicated to the display of the three cars belonging to the Train of Pius IX, dating back to 1858.
Centrale Montemartini
Via Ostiense 106
Rome
Lazio – Italy
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