Alessandro Sebastiani

Discovering remarkable museums in Rome proves to be an effortless endeavor. The renowned Capitoline Museums, the illustrious Vatican Museums, and a plethora of other establishments beckon tourists to embark on diverse explorations, spanning from the antiquarian era to exhibitions showcasing the city’s stratigraphic excavations.

However, amidst these well-known institutions lies a hidden gem largely overlooked by tourists—the museum housed within the Centrale Montemartini, a power plant nestled in the Ostiense district. Formerly an emblem of Rome’s thermoelectric power, this site has metamorphosed into an avant-garde museum, seamlessly fusing elements of modernity and antiquity with profound acumen.

Within its walls reside two distinct collections of artifacts sourced from excavations conducted during the period of Roma Capitale and the fascist regime, notably during the tumultuous 1930s. Here, statues, opulent decorations, sarcophagi, portraits, mosaics, and common artifacts converge, unveiling a reimagined narrative—the tale of Rome’s excavation endeavors to solidify its status as the Third Rome and later as Mussolini’s Rome.

Visitors embark on a captivating journey through time, ensnared by the allure of a classical past juxtaposed against the backdrop of abandoned steam turbines. Amidst the objects lies a palpable yearning for a resplendent past, a narrative intricately woven with the genesis of the Italian state and the subsequent rise of dictatorial rule.

This sentiment finds proper expression in the exhibition featuring the ivory doll unearthed during excavations beneath the foundations of the Palazzaccio (Palace of Justice) — a place of ideological confrontation between the Kingdom of Italy and the Papacy, ensconced in the Vatican. Crepereia Tryphaena, alongside her sarcophagus, emerges as a significant archaeological emblem, symbolizing an epoch characterized by feverish urban construction and relentless cityscape transformation.

Read more about ideological archaeology in Rome

A. Sebastiani, 2023, Ancient Rome and the Modern Italian State. Ideological Placemaking, Archaeology, and Architecture 1870-1945. Cambridge University Press