Rome is an incredible destination for any traveler looking to explore culture, history, and the unique. With traditional museums like the Vatican Museum and the Capitoline Museum, there is plenty of opportunity to learn about the city’s past. That said, there are also many offbeat and quirky museums in Rome that offer a unique experience. For those looking to experience something truly one-of-a-kind in Rome, visiting these offbeat museums is an absolute must. A visit to these museums will provide a glimpse into the city’s distinctive character and provide an unforgettable experience. With so much to discover in Rome, it is essential to plan the trip in advance to make the most of the experience. Researching the city’s attractions and seeking local advice on the best places to visit is the perfect way to ensure a memorable trip to Rome.
Casina delle Civette
📍 Villa Torlonia, Via Nomentana, 70, 00161 Roma RM, Italy
The Casina delle Civette, also known as the House of the Owls, was the residence of Prince Giovanni Torlania the younger until his death in 1938. The complex consists of two buildings, the principle house and the annex, connected by a small wooden gallery and an underground passage. The original nineteenth century “Swiss Cabin” was re-envisioned by Prince Alessandro Torlonia and Giuseppe Jappelli in 1840, and further transformed by Prince Giovanni into a “Medieval Hamlet” starting in 1908. Enrico Gennari and Vincenzo Fasolo worked on the project and were responsible for the construction of the facade and the decorative scheme.
Throughout the building, the motif of the owl appears obsessively, exemplified through stained glass, majolica, decorations, and furnishings. The stained glass, created by Duilio Cambellotti, Umberto Bottazzi, Vittorio Grassi and Paolo Paschetto, was all installed between 1908 and 1930 and represents a unique moment in the international artistic outlook. The interior of the house is highly decorated with figured decoration, stucco work, mosaics, polychrome majolica, inlaid wood, wrought iron, wall fabrics, marble sculpture, and made to measure furniture.
The House of the Owls underwent immense destruction in 1944 due to its occupation by Anglo-American troops, followed by theft and vandalism, and a fire in 1991. Thanks to a long and meticulous restoration process, carried out from 1992 to 1997, the House of the Owls has been restored to the city and is one of the most unusual and interesting buildings from the early years of the twentieth century.
Capuchin Crypt
📍 Via Vittorio Veneto, 27, 00187 Roma RM, Italy
The Museum and Crypt of the Capuchin Friars on Via Veneto is a unique space that allows visitors to explore the history of the Capuchin friars and their spirituality. This Baroque church space includes eight exhibition rooms that showcase the simple lifestyle, closeness to the poor and spirit of fraternity that defines the religious order from its origins in the 16th century to the present day. The museum also includes the Crypt-Cemetery, a macabre Baroque artwork that features the mortal remains of nearly 4,000 friars from the 16th to 19th centuries. These remains are composed into rosettes, pilasters, stars, hourglasses, clocks, butterflies, chandeliers and crosses. The Crypt also contains niches and architectural structures that house skeletons dressed in the habits of some of the friars. This highly evocative space is a powerful reminder of the order’s spiritual and cultural activities.
The Keats – Shelley House
📍 Piazza di Spagna, 26, 00187 Roma RM, Italy
The Keats–Shelley Memorial House is a significant memorial to two of the world’s most beloved Romantic Poets, John Keats and Percy Bysshe Shelley. Situated near the Spanish Steps in Rome, the museum houses an incredible collection of items relating to both poets, as well as other famous writers from the same era, such as Byron, Wordsworth, Robert Browning, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Oscar Wilde and many more.
The journey to purchase and restore the house in which Keats spent his final days began in 1903 at the request of the American poet Robert Underwood Johnson. It was officially opened for use by the Keats–Shelley Memorial Association in April 1909.
During World War II, the house was kept “underground” in order to protect the priceless collection from being destroyed by the Nazis. The museum’s two boxes of artifacts were sent to the Abbey of Monte Cassino, and were later returned to the Keats–Shelley House following the arrival of the Allied forces in 1944.
The building at Piazza di Spagna 26 was redesigned in 1724–25 as part of the project to construct the Spanish Steps. It was designed by Francesco de Sanctis, who wanted to frame the steps with a symmetrical building on either side. The Keats–Shelley Memorial House is a permanent and beautiful reminder of the literary genius of two of the world’s most beloved Romantic poets.
Museum of the Souls of Purgatory
📍 Lungotevere Prati, 12, 00193 Roma RM, Italy
The Sacro Cuore del Suffragio, known as the “little Milan Cathedral”, holds an intriguing and unique collection within the walls of its adjacent museum. This collection was founded by the will of French missionary Victor Jouet, who was inspired by a mysterious event that occurred in the chapel of the Rosary on the 15th of November, 1897. On this day, a blaze erupted, but miraculously left the painting on the altar unscathed. It is said that a human face was seen in the flames, imprinted on the wall and with a peaceful expression. The museum now displays a photographic representation of the apparition.
Father Jouet sought to find evidence of the afterlife and communication between the living and the dead, and traveled around Europe to do so. Through his efforts, he was able to assemble a collection of handprints, documents, signs, and other mysterious objects. This material was carefully arranged and guarded in the museum’s showcases, telling tales of apparitions from the 18th and 19th centuries. These tales were often requests for prayers and masses of intercession, with one of the most moving stories being that of a Belgian woman whose son was living a dissolute life. Through her continual belief in the afterlife, he was able to convert and found a religious order.
