Amid Rome’s many blockbuster sites — the Sistine Chapel, the Colosseum and the Forum, for starters — it’s easy to forget that the Italian capital is home to more than a hundred museums. Some of the city’s most rewarding attractions are tucked behind quiet courtyards or hidden inside still-inhabited palaces, where your only other company is likely to be marble emperors and frescoed putti. Though we visited Rome in summer, we had these four museums almost completely to ourselves. And unlike their more-famous counterparts, advance booking is rarely required.

Palazzo Altemps

Though it’s just steps from Piazza Navona, Palazzo Altemps remains blissfully untouristy. We spent an almost suspiciously quiet morning at the 15th-century palace with an arcaded courtyard. There, we strolled through rooms full of ancient sculptures, including those of Roman gods, philosophers and emperors rendered in marble. One standout highlight is the Great Ludovisi Sarcophagus, an enormous stone coffin that depicts a feverish tangle of horses and warriors in remarkable detail. My companion commented that it felt like an ancient Roman “Guernica.” What a luxury, to have this masterpiece all to ourselves.

Palazzo Altemps 
Piazza di Sant’Apollinare 46. Tel. (39) 06-684-851

Palazzo Barberini

If Palazzo Barberini were in almost any other city in the world, it would be the main attraction. But among the riches of Rome, it tends to be overlooked. Though the museum is not unknown — after all, it’s home to such masterpieces as Caravaggio’s “Judith Beheading Holofernes,” Hans Holbein the Younger’s “Portrait of Henry VIII” and Guido Cagnacci’s “Maddalena Penitente” — you can simply show up with no advance reservation or planning. It was practically empty during our visit. I appreciated having the time and space to read the extensive context the museum provides for its paintings; rather than just listing the who, what and when, plaques often described the myths or biblical passages depicted. An afternoon here can be a veritable art history class. When we reached Cortona’s incredible “The Triumph of Divine Providence,” a massive fresco on the ceiling of the Salone di Pietro da Cortona, we took advantage of the empty gallery to lie down on the floor, a liberty that allowed us to contemplate the breathtaking work, the second-largest ceiling fresco in Rome after the Sistine Chapel, in complete solitude and silence — until an officious docent caught us.

Palazzo Barberini 
Via delle Quattro Fontane 13. No phone.

Centrale Montemartini

When I planned this trip to Rome, my Andrew Harper travel advisor made me promise I would visit Centrale Montemartini, her favorite lesser-known attraction in the city. I dutifully kept my vow, making my way to Ostiense to visit the museum housed in a former power plant. I’m glad I made the trek. In this strange and wonderful exemplar of creative reuse, monumental statues of ancient Roman gods and aristocrats stand among 20th-century valves, engines and turbines. Many of the works on display, including a colossal marble foot and impressively intricate mosaics, were discovered during construction projects throughout the city. The juxtaposition of antiquity and industry makes for an irreverent alternative to the capital’s palazzo museums.

Centrale Montemartini 
Via Ostiense 106. Tel. (39) 06-0608

Palazzo Colonna

One of Rome’s most spectacular private palaces, Palazzo Colonna has been home to the Colonnas for eight centuries. Visiting feels a bit like receiving a personal invitation from an aristocratic family. Inside the Galleria Colonna wing, ancient tapestries and masterpiece paintings by the likes of Bruegel, Tintoretto and Veronese line the walls of the formal rooms. The soaring Grand Hall — an opulent corridor of antique mirrors, glittering chandeliers and gilded stucco — gives Versailles a run for its money. Part of the thrill of coming here is knowing that it’s actually someone’s home. But since it’s still inhabited, visits are limited to guided tours on Friday and Saturday mornings, and advance reservations are required. (I booked my visit as soon as I had my hotels confirmed.) The Travel Office can also arrange private tours and events here, making the experience truly bespoke.

Galleria Colonna 
Piazza SS. Apostoli 66. Tel. (39) 06-678-4350

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