For almost eight years I walked past Palazzo Altemps at least five times a week. I’m not sure why I waited so long to finally check it out.
One Friday, during lunch time, I basically had the place to myself. True, it was the dead of winter but I was surprised.
The Palazzo is very close to Piazza Navona and was built during the 1500s. Archaeologists have uncovered ancient Roman structures and artifacts from the 1st century AD, which are displayed on the first floor.
Cardinal Marcus Sitticus Altemps acquired the palazzo from the Riario family in 1568. He greatly extended the palazzo to showcase the family’s impressive art and and book collections. There are also many standout pieces from the Boncompagni Ludovisi, Mattei, del Drago Albani, and Brancaccio collections
This museum is part of the Museo Nazionale Romano which also includes the Crypta Balbi, Palazzo Massimo, and Terme di Diocleziano.
There is free admission to the museums on the first Sunday of the month.
Below are a few pictures I snapped during my tour:
Palazzo Altemps is opened Tuesday – Sunday from 9.00 to 19.45.
Closed Mondays (except Easter Monday and during the “Culture Week”), 1 January, 25 December.
The Ticket Office closes one hour before closing time.
Photos: Me and my iPhone
Arlene Gibbs Décor 
Sending this to my sister. Bet she has never been. As to me, this will have to wait. Love seeing smaller museums in big cities.
One of my goals this year is to visit more of these smaller museums. Rome is full of them.