Palazzo Massimo alle Terme

The overlooked jewel of Rome's national museum network, holding one of the world's finest collections of Roman art in a quiet palazzo beside Termini station. The ground-floor sculpture gallery includes the Boxer at Rest and the Dying Gaul. Upstairs, entire rooms of frescoes salvaged from ancient Roman villas have been reconstructed — the garden scenes from Livia's Villa are worth the visit alone, with birds and fruit trees painted in astonishing detail 2,000 years ago. The coin collection on the top floor traces Roman currency across centuries. You will likely have galleries to yourself.