Inside the Aula Ottagona of the Baths of Diocletian, the Museum of Saved Art has reopened to the public, with the new exhibition New Recoveries. On display are more than one hundred archaeological artifacts belonging to different civilizations, returned to Italy between 2022 and 2025 thanks to the work of the Carabinieri Command for the Protection of Cultural Heritage (TPC), which intercepted and recovered them in the United States and various European countries, as part of operations against the illicit trafficking of cultural property.
These are valuable artifacts that are returning to the national heritage after being illegally stolen. The new layout, made with display cases and modular panels, was also made possible thanks to restoration work by the Central Institute for Restoration, and reflects the desire to offer a dynamic exhibition space, constantly evolving, capable of periodically welcoming new masterpieces rescued from illegality.
The museum project thus confirms the vocation of the Aula Ottagona as a place for the enhancement and narration of the stories of saving works of art. The exhibits, in fact, will not remain on display permanently: once they have been returned to public enjoyment, they will subsequently be destined for museums in their territories of origin, leaving space for new recovered archaeological evidence.
“The Museum of Rescued Art is coming back to life to give the widest possible public the opportunity to enjoy the extraordinary cultural heritage that had been taken from the nation and now, finally recovered, is destined to return to its places of origin to give back to communities the highest fruit of those who came before them: the creative genius expressed by the civilizations that flourished in an area. I thank all the institutions involved, starting with the Carabinieri of the Comando Tutela Patrimonio Culturale, whose work has enabled and continues to enable this,” said Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli.
“The reopening of the Museum of Saved Art celebrates a new phase in the joint commitment and dedication of all the institutions involved to the recovery and enhancement of Italy’s illegally stolen cultural heritage. This renewed exhibition is tangible proof that what has been taken from us can and must return to the territories of origin, making works of art once again available to all citizens and underscoring the exceptional work done by those tirelessly dedicated to their preservation,” said Division General Francesco Gargaro, Commander of the Carabinieri Tutela Patrimonio Culturale.
The Museum of Saved Art is part of the National Roman Museum, joining the four sites at Palazzo Altemps, Palazzo Massimo, Baths of Diocletian and Crypta Balbi.
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| Rome, the Museum of Saved Art in the Octagonal Hall of the Baths of Diocletian reopens with a new layout |
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