From June 14 to Dec. 28, 2025, Palazzo San Felice, located at 21 Via della Dataria in Rome, opens its doors to the public for the first time. An initiative that takes place every weekend, with free access and by reservation only, allows visitors to closely follow the transformation of one of the capital’s historic buildings, destined to house the future Library of Archaeology and Art History. Granted in 2017 by the Presidency of the Republic to the Ministry of Culture, Palazzo San Felice was entrusted to the Agenzia del Demanio, which began work on its redevelopment in 2023, to be completed by the end of 2026. The project, donated by architect Mario Botta, aims to transform the building from a private residence into a cultural hub for the city, managed by the nascent National Library of Archaeology and Art History Foundation.
The Culture on Site initiative allows visitors to follow the building’s renovation journey through an engaging and informative experience. A timeline illustrates the main historical phases of the building, while a digital tour projects visitors into the future of the library, showing the ongoing project in realistic detail. The tour, lasting about 45 minutes, includes access to the institutional rooms dedicated to the Presidency of the Republic, the Ministry of Culture and the State Property Agency, spaces that normally remain inaccessible.
The most important moment of the itinerary is the opening of the Sepulchre of the Sempronii, an archaeological site hitherto never visited, which is revealed on the occasion of the initiative. The site represents a relevant discovery for the city and offers a direct look at the historical stratifications that characterize the area. Prominent among the highlights on display inside the building is the preparatory drawing of the New Map of Rome (c. 1736-1738, with later additions) by Giovan Battista Nolli. It is the first modern survey of the city and one of the most important cartographic enterprises in 18th-century Europe.
The exhibition is enhanced by a layout that takes the public through an engaging narrative, highlighting the ongoing process of transformation. The experience thus offers a simultaneously educational and evocative reading, highlighting the metamorphosis of a historic building coming back to life in a new form and function. The tour tells the story of the building, the road traveled so far, the rediscovery of architectural and archaeological details, and the transformations that accompany the birth of a new cultural space.
Open free of charge every weekend and mid-August from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (last admission at 5:20 p.m.).
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| Palazzo San Felice in Rome opens to the public: from construction site to Archaeology and Art History Library |
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