Museo Ostiense

The Museo Ostiense in Rome is an archaeological museum dedicated to the ancient city of Ostia. It is housed in a converted fifteenth-century building that originally served as a storehouse and was transformed into a municipal collection under Pope Pius IX in the nineteenth century. The exhibits come from many years of excavations and include a wide variety of finds. Among other things, you can admire portraits of famous figures such as Emperor Trajan and Faustina the Elder. The collection also presents important sculptures, including the statue of Perseus with the head of Medusa and the scene of Mithras sacrificing the bull. The display is rounded out by sarcophagi, reliefs, wall paintings from tombs, and colorful mosaics that vividly document the historical and artistic wealth of the ancient settlement.