The museum was designed by the architects Pietro Ascheri, D. Bernardini and Cesare Pascoletti (1939–1941 CE).

The museum’s 59 sections provide a comprehensive depiction of ancient Roman civilization, featuring an exceptional collection of plaster casts taken from original sculptures housed in museums worldwide—some of which have since been lost or damaged. Additionally, detailed scale models reconstruct various monuments from across the Roman Empire, offering insight into their original appearance.

The foundation of the collection dates back to the Archaeological Exhibition of 1911, organized to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of Italy’s unification. Due to the significance of the assembled artifacts, they were later put on permanent display.

The first fourteen sections present a chronological history of Rome from its earliest days to the sixth century CE, with a notable highlight being the pronaos of Augustus' temple in Ancyra (modern Ankara), which preserves the inscription of his political and ideological testament. The remaining 45 sections explore various facets of Roman society, including public life, religion, economy, military affairs, and daily life. Among the museum’s most renowned exhibits are the large-scale model of Rome as it appeared under Emperor Constantine and the plaster casts of Trajan’s Column, originally commissioned by Napoleon III.

As the only museum dedicated to presenting a complete survey of ancient Roman civilization, it holds particular importance for the documentary value of its casts, many of which preserve the original arrangements of significant works that are now fragmented and scattered across multiple institutions worldwide.

The museum offers three primary exhibition itineraries, each providing a comprehensive insight into different aspects of ancient Roman civilization: Historical Sections, Thematic Sections, and the Model of Imperial Rome.

circa 112 CE

Historical Sections
The Historical Sections guide visitors through Rome’s development from its origins to the late imperial period. Rooms V-VI focus on Roman legends and early culture, illustrating the city's foundation. Room VII explores Rome’s expansion and dominance in the Mediterranean, followed by Room VIII, which highlights the life and achievements of Julius Caesar. Room IX is dedicated to Augustus, featuring a life-size reproduction of the pronaos of the Monumentum Ancyranum in Ankara, Turkey, which preserves the Res Gestae Divi Augusti inscription. Additionally, this section includes detailed scale models of key Roman structures such as the Theatre of Marcellus (1:100 scale), the Tropaeum Alpium in La Turbie, France (1:20 scale), and the Pont du Gard in Nîmes, France (1:200 scale). Further rooms (X–XV) cover the Julio-Claudian, Flavian, and later imperial dynasties, culminating in exhibits on Christianity and the Roman army. The historical tour concludes with a model of archaic Rome in Room XVIII.

Thematic sections
The Thematic Sections focus on specific aspects of Roman daily life. Room XXXVI delves into Roman education, while Room XXXIX reconstructs domestic environments. Other rooms (XLVI–L) explore key cultural and intellectual pursuits, including law, libraries, music, literature, science, and medicine. Notable highlights include Room LI, which showcases casts of Trajan’s Column, offering an in-depth look at its intricate reliefs. Additional sections (LII–LV) examine economic and industrial activities, encompassing crafts, agriculture, trade, and food production. The final thematic display, Room LVI, is dedicated to Roman art.

Il Plastico di Roma Imperiale
The exhibition culminates with the Model of Imperial Rome, displayed in Rooms XXXVII–XXXVIII. This large-scale model represents Rome during the reign of Constantine I, providing a detailed visualization of the city's urban landscape at its peak. This model remains one of the most iconic and celebrated exhibits within the museum, offering visitors a rare opportunity to appreciate the grandeur of ancient Rome in its entirety.