Throughout August, the Colosseum and the Pantheon in Rome will be open until nightfall

Starting August 1, in Rome and Milan, a pilot program sponsored by the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Tourism, in collaboration with the City of Milan, will begin, extending the opening hours of some of Italy’s most important monuments. Throughout the month of August, the Colosseum and the Pantheon in Rome and the Castello Sforzesco in Milan will remain open several hours past their usual closing time, with the aim of promoting a more even distribution of visitors, allowing access during the cooler parts of the day, and making cultural heritage more accessible to both tourists and residents.

The initiative is a pilot program involving, in Rome, state-owned monuments, while in Milan it involves one of the city’s main civic monuments. The experiment will last throughout the month of August and aims to assess the effects of extending visiting hours on the management of tourist flows during one of the busiest periods of the year. According to a statement from the Ministry, the project stems from the need to offer more flexible access to Italy’s major monuments by extending visiting hours into the evening. This will help alleviate pressure during peak hours, allow visits under more favorable weather conditions during the summer, and provide opportunities for visitors that are compatible with the work schedules of many citizens.

The extension of opening hours will vary depending on the monuments involved. For the Colosseum Archaeological Park, evening hours will be on Fridays and Saturdays, with admission from 7:45 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. The Pantheon, on the other hand, will extend its visiting hours daily from 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., except on Thursdays. In Milan, the Castello Sforzesco will remain open daily until 7:30 p.m., extending its regular hours from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

The Ministry of Culture emphasizes that the evening openings of the Colosseum and the Pantheon offer visitors the chance to experience two of Italy’s most famous monuments in a unique atmosphere, distinct from that of daytime hours. “The special evening openings of the Colosseum and the Pantheon,” states Minister of Culture Alessandro Giuli, “provide an opportunity to experience, in a particularly evocative setting, two universal testaments to history and human ingenuity. Making these sites even more accessible promotes knowledge and reinforces awareness of their value. The collaboration between the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Tourism demonstrates the institutions’ ability to work together, putting their expertise and resources at the service of citizens.

“This pilot program, the result of consultations with tour guides and industry professionals, meets the needs of travelers and citizens,” adds Tourism Minister Gianmarco Mazzi. “In particular, it strengthens the bond between the Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Culture, which, according to ISNART (National Institute for Tourism Research), has become the top reason for travel among tourists since 2026, jumping from seventh to first place in just ten years. For this reason, we are devoting our full attention to cultural tourism, to further explore the growth potential of a sector that already contributes 58 billion euros to the national economy.”

“Milan is participating in the national pilot program promoted by the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Tourism in collaboration with the City of Milan, which, starting Saturday, August 1, will extend the opening hours of major Italian monuments,” states Tommaso Sacchi, Milan’s Councilor for Culture. “The Castello Sforzesco, which recorded half a million museum visits last year, will remain open every day until 7:30 p.m., two hours beyond its usual closing time. This figure is part of a steady growth trend for Milan’s municipal museums, which have seen visitor numbers rise from 1.3 to 1.7 million since 2019, confirming the importance of culture in the city’s tourism flows. Throughout August, visitors with a reduced-price ticket will be able to admire the galleries of the Museum of Ancient Art and Michelangelo’s Pietà Rondanini, as well as the exhibition *Passione e Disegno* in the Salette della Grafica, which brings together masterpieces ranging from Leonardo da Vinci to Keith Haring.”

The initiative serves as an initial test to assess the effects of a permanent extension of opening hours at Italy’s major cultural sites during periods of peak tourist traffic. The stated goal is to improve visitor flow management by spreading visits throughout the day, offering more comfortable conditions during the summer hours when temperatures are highest, and expanding access to monuments for those who are busy with work during the day.

The pilot program involves three iconic sites of Italian cultural heritage, each with different characteristics and audiences but all sharing a high level of tourist appeal. The Colosseum and the Pantheon are two of the capital’s most popular destinations (the Colosseum, in particular, is the most visited of all), while the Castello Sforzesco is one of Milan’s main museum hubs. The results of this initiative may provide useful insights for potential future expansions of the project to other museums and monuments across the country, as part of a strategy aimed at making cultural heritage increasingly accessible and compatible with the needs of contemporary tourism.

Throughout August, the Colosseum and the Pantheon in Rome will be open until nightfall

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