In Italy and (somehow) twiddling your thumbs in this quiet period between Christmas and La Befana (January 6)? Put down the panettone and step outside: Crowds have thinned, lines are short and cultural venues are open.
All state-run museums, monuments and archaeological sites — which include many of the "heavy hitters" like the Uffizi Galleries group in Florence, the Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill in Rome, and the Archaeological Museum in Naples, among others — are offering cost-free admission on New Year’s Day (January 1, 2023), with the confirmed return of the Domenica al Museo (Sunday at the Museum) initiative.
“On traditional days of rest for places of culture, the Ministry offers everyone the opportunity to enjoy the beauty of Italy's artistic heritage. I thank the MiC staff involved in guaranteeing these extraordinary openings, in particular for the first Sunday of January, New Year's Day, when museums and archaeological parks can be visited free of charge," said Minister of Culture Gennaro Sangiuliano in a statement.
The wildly popular #domenicalmuseo initiative saw 1,879,597 "freebie" visits in 2022. Given the obvious lure for tourists and Italian residents alike — especially in the midst of worries about inflation — the budget-friendly trend is expected to continue throughout 2023.
If you go
Not sure what's near you and what constitutes a "state museum?" An extensive region-by-region list of participants in #domenicalmuseo is available here. (Note that the regions of Sicily, Trentino-Alto Adige and the Valle d'Aosta's public museums are managed separately, so you won't find #domenicalmuseo participants there.)
Free-admission visits take place during normal museum hours and may require a reservation, depending on the venue.
