See each archaeological layer of Rome’s history at the Crypta Balbi.
A theatre foyer, a monastery, a museum; the site of the Crypta Balbi has had many faces in the last two thousand years. Peel back each layer of the city of Rome’s history as you explore an impressive archaeological dig that travels back two thousand years.
Highlights
- Wander through the unearthed corridors of ancient foundations and medieval structures, and see how the layers of Rome have built up on top of each other into the modern day.
- See reconstructions of Rome at different points in its history, and clearly envision how Romans must have lived throughout the centuries.
- Learn about the excavations themselves, and see artifacts unearthed during the digs.
Tickets & Prices
Discover which ticket into the Crypta Balbi is best suited to you.
Crypta Balbi Ticket
Guarantee your entrance into the Crypta Balbi by buying a ticket online and reserving your place beforehand. This ticket grants you entrance into the museum without having to wait in line at the ticket office.
Important Ticket Information:
- Opening times: Tuesday to Sunday from 11am to 6pm. The museum is closed on Mondays
- Last admission is at 5pm
- This ticket is valid for a single entrance
- The ticket can be printed at home or shown on a mobile device
- Most of the museum is wheelchair accessible
- Entrance to the other sites of the National Roman Museum are not included in the price
National Roman Museum Combined Ticket
The Crypta Balbi is one of the four historical sites that make up the National Roman Museum, the others are Palazzo Altemps, Palazzo Massimo and the Baths of Diocletian. If you purchase a combined ticket for the museum, you gain access to all four.
The ticket information is essentially the same as mentioned for the Crypta Balbi alone, but includes entrance to the other sites.
What to see and do
Get a sneak peek into the Crypta Balbi as we run you through what you can expect to see during a visit to the museum.
Upper Floor
The upper floor of the Crypta Balbi contains many of the artifacts discovered at the site during excavations, with hundreds of objects from Antiquity through to the Middle Ages on display.
Exploring the upper floor of the museum grants you some valuable insight into the life of the everyday Roman. There is everything from pottery to cutlery and coins in this part of the museum; it consists largely of everyday objects that the average person would have used, alongside some interesting information about the Romans.
Ground Floor
The ground floor explores the story of the Crypta Balbi’s excavations, and thoroughly explores each layer of discovery; this section explains what each layer was, when it can be dated to, and for how long it was used. There are pieces of the various structure and foundations discovered during the archaeological work dotted around this floor of the museum.
Visitors should look out for the historical reconstructions of Rome throughout its history; arguably the most interesting aspect of this section of the museum. You can see the neighbourhood of Crypta Balbi as it would have looked at different points in history; from the 5th to the 15th, and more besides.
Basement Level
See the transition from one era to the next as you walk deeper into the layers of the city. The ‘basement’ level of the museum is easily the most fascinating section, as you see each layer of the city’s history peeled back in the buildings foundations.
Archaelogical digs unearthed the history of Rome’s urban sprawl, as you see structures from today through to medieval times, and eventually reach its ancient origins. Most excavations destroyed the more recent layers of history in pursuit of the most ancient ruins underneath. Crypta Balbi is fairly unique in the way archaeologists were careful to preserve all of the history they discovered; which is fortunate, as it gives visitors a fantastic insight into the timeline of Rome.
You can join a guided tour that leads you through the city’s underbelly in a journey back through time; the other floors are interesting, but this is the section that makes Crypta Balbi truly worth visiting.
Directions
You will find the Crypta Balbi on Via delle Botteghe Oscure, situated in central Rome between Piazza Venezia and Largo Argentina.
As it is very central, it can be easily reached on foot from most of Rome’s other most popular tourist attractions. If you are arriving via public transport, the Venezia tram stop is close by, and can be reached by the number 8 tram line. Buses are also a convenient mode of transport, as the Venezia bus stop is served by over a dozen different buses, including 51, 60 and 63. Another bus stop in easy walking distance is the Via Torre Argentina stop.
The least convenient way to reach Crypta Balbi is by metro. Colosseo (Line B) is the closest station, and it’s almost 20 minutes away on foot.
Did you know that: (5 Interesting Facts!)
Much of modern-day Rome is built on top of the ruins of ancient Rome: Crypta Balbi shows this progression of layers of the city.
Crypta Balbi has been part of the Museo Romano since the 19th century, but the majority of the ruins weren’t unearthed until the 1980s.
Roman theatre, such as would have been performed at the Theatre of Balbus, was built on the earlier iterations of Greek theatre, though performances tended to favour entertainment and dance over tragedy and melodrama.
Crypta Balbi isn’t the theatre itself, but the ancient equivalent of the foyer; this courtyard would have been located behind the theatre, and was the smallest of all the major theatres in Rome.
Evidence unearthed in the 4th century suggests that the theatre’s seating capacity was a total of 11,510 people.
History
Learn more about Crypta Balbi’s 2000 year history in this brief timeline:
- 1st century BC. Lucius Cornelius Balbus orders the construction of the Theatre of Balbus.
- 13BC. The Theatre of Balbus is opened.
- AD80. The Theatre of Balbus is damaged by a devastating fire that tears through the city of Rome.
- 17th century. Monasteries, houses, and hospices are built in the area, further burying the original foundations.
- 1981. Extensive excavations of the site take place, uncovering layers of foundations from the Middle Ages through to Ancient Rome.
- Present day – archaeological work at the site is still ongoing.