Museum of the Domus Tiberiana

The Domus Tiberiana Museum is located to the north of Via Tecta and is organised thematically in seven rooms, four of which open onto the Roman Forum. On the south side, you can see the surfaces decorated with stucco from the time of Domitian, which decorate the so-called Caligula's Bridge; you can see compartments decorated with megalographies showing scenes from court life, discover the service rooms of the baths and latrines, and enter rooms where you can see a documentation of all the recent years' research and restoration works, together with the reconstruction of the palace inside a holographic pyramid.

Room 1. The palace's consumption: food and luxury goods

The first room, on the side facing the Roman Forum, was only discovered in 2020 and is the only chamber where the internal stratigraphy has been preserved because it was sealed by the collapse of the vault. The extraordinary finds made during the excavations will shed unprecedented light on life in the "city inside the palace" from Late Antiquity to the Farnese period.

Of particular interest is a series of abandonment phases, accompanied by a real rubbish dump, dating from the late 5th century A.D. to the early Middle Ages. A large number of finds were unearthed here, including numerous animal remains, several oyster shells, amphorae (some still containing their original contents), everyday pottery, coins and many other everyday objects. The restoration of the vault has restored the spatial aspect of this original environment, where the consumption of fine goods coming into the palace is represented by the in situ museum display of excavation finds, accompanied by oil lamps and coins discovered in nearby excavations.

Room 2. The faun and the mythical inhabitants of the Farnese Garden

The second room, modest in size and dimly lit, is ideal for displaying the remarkable discoveries relating to an ancient theme that was particularly popular during the Farnese period: the faun. The torso was unearthed among the deposits, while the head, which probably comes from another sculpture, was obtained through a seizure carried out by the Protection Unit and shows obvious signs of Renaissance alterations.

Room 3. Before the palace: terracotta sculptures by the master of the Cesarean era

In addition to the Campanian stone slabs, there are also remains of numerous clay statues, such as the famous statue of Apollo, and replicas of Greek masterpieces from between 50 and 30 BC, which visitors can touch.

Room 4. Before the palace: the aristocratic residences

This room displays artefacts found during excavations under the former palace, relating to the residential area of the late Republican and Augustan periods. Architectural elements and household objects from houses along the Vilabro River are also on display.

Room 5. The Iseum and the mystery cults of the palace

A special room is dedicated to Iseo and the mystery cults associated with the palace, with artefacts from excavations carried out in the 1980s in the north-eastern sector, where the existence of a sacellum dedicated to Isis was established. The Dionysian cult is represented by the exquisite sculptures found in the central cryptoporticus of the Domus Tiberiana. In addition, the small sculptures of the Cautes and Cautopates will introduce visitors to the cult of Mithras. The exhibition aims to recreate the distinctive atmosphere of a private sacellum in honour of a mysterious deity, using warm, gentle lighting and soundscapes.

Room 6. The lapidary's workshop and the master of Domitian architecture

The heart of the architecture of the Domus Tiberiana is presented to visitors in these rooms, with an emphasis on the Domitian phase of the palace. The workshop of the stonemason, who was recognised as the master of the Decus and the Stupor, is presented, leading to a proposed reconstruction of the architectural decorations belonging to the different periods of development of this domus. This has been made possible by study material from both internal deposits and the dismantling of marble piles found in situ.

Room 7. The palace tells its story: statuary furnishings and court life

The final section deals with the statuary and furnishings of the palace, which are finally represented by works of art brought to light in twentieth-century excavations of the Domus Tiberiana and several other imperial palaces. These pieces were very fine and carefully worked, probably the work of stonemasons who may have been involved in making the palace's furnishings either nearby or within its walls during the early to middle periods of the Empire.