Galleria Lapidaria

[Praefectusclassis]

The last couple of times I was in the Vatican museums, the Galleria Lapidaria was always closed. Does anybody know if it is ever open? Only on appointment maybe?

[Robert Vermaat]

Is that the one which was in the news recently when a Dutch historian (?)managed to get rare access by appointment? I heard most of these museums were not accessable to the general public.

I found this:
From July 19th to September 29th 2005 guided tours are held on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 9 p.m. for groups with no more than 25 people.
One is advised to book in advance (information and bookings: tel. 06 39967800).
Admission and guided tour 8,00 euro
Reduced admission and guided tour 5,50 euro
Free admission and guided tour 4,90 euro
[url:2nbplg1t]http://www.museicapitolini.org/en/eventi/evento_galleria_lapidaria.htm[/url]

[Praefectusclassis]

The Musei Capitolini have a great inscription collection too, but that's normally open.

[Ross Cowan]

The last couple of times I was in the Vatican museums, the Galleria Lapidaria was always closed. Does anybody know if it is ever open? Only on appointment maybe?

Hi Jasper,

Back in '98 or '99, I had make an appointment (or rather the nice secretary at the British School in Rome did). It's pretty cool. Lots of praetorian laterculi, the column listing the legions etc, but I wasn't given much time to study the inscriptions. Ask in advance if you need to take pics for research purposes, lest the attendants have a fit when you produce your camera...

R.

[Kate Gilliver]

I've just got back from Rome and would strongly recommend the new epigraphy galleries in the Capitoline (opened in August, the custode told me) and in the Museo Nazionale (Baths of Diocletian), also opened since I was last there in 2003. Both are superb, excellent displays & useful information panels :!: The Capitoline also has an open-access computer database of its epigraphy collection with cross-references to CIL.
Both have quite a few altars / dedications / tombstones relating to the Rome cohorts which haven't been generally accessible for as long as I've been going to Rome, and I'd strongly recommend a visit. You also get fab views over the Forum from the Tabularium in the Capitoline.
My students (I went with 21 of them!) went to the Vatican museums and informed me that most of the galleries of interest to Romanists were shut - nothing new there then.