Michelangelo's David
Michelangelo's David / Wikipedia

If you really want to know the culture and history of a country in detail, soaking in its art and immersing yourself in its traditions, you simply have to visit its museums. Italy is the mother of civilizations, a country that has produced the most renowned works of art in history, and thousands of incredible museums scattered throughout its cities are testament top this legacy.

So what museums should you visit in Italy? To make your search easier, here's a list of museums that are a must if you're heading to Italy:

History and religion

National Archaeological Museum in Naples
National Archaeological Museum in Naples / Wikipedia

Museo archeologico nazionale di Napoli (National Archaeological Museum), Naples: If you are passionate about history, especially ancient Rome, you can't miss this museum, which houses one of the world's best collections of Greek and Roman antiquities. The artefacts here come from multiple excavations in such well-known areas as Pompeii and Herculaneum, among other archaeological sites. Particularly noteworthy is the Farnese Collection, a collection of Greek and Roman Renaissance sculptures and busts.

The outside of the Egyptian Museum in Turin
The outside of the Egyptian Museum in Turin / Wikipedia

Museo delle Antichità Egizie (Egyptian Museum), Turin: Discover the world of Ancient Egypt in this museum which contains the largest and most complete collection of Egyptian antiquities outside Egypt, just behind the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. Here you will find around 30,000 pieces, ranging from sarcophagi, mummies and original papyrus scrolls to statues and a variety of funerary and everyday objects.

The spiral staircase of the Vatican Museum
The spiral staircase of the Vatican Museum / Wikipedia

Musei Vaticani (Vatican Museum), Rome: Founded in the 16th century, this museum is technically located in the Vatican City State rather than Italy, but close enough, right? Inside, you can take a journey through the history of the treasures of the Catholic Church: Renaissance sculptures, marble sculptures, frescoes by Michelangelo... without forgetting works by Caravaggio and Raphael. What’s the best time to go? Well, on the first Sunday of each month admission is free!

Italy, the mother of art

Sandro Botticelli's "The Birth of Venus"
Sandro Botticelli's "The Birth of Venus" / Wikipedia

Gallerie degli Uffizi (Uffizi Gallery), Florence: This palace, whose name translates as ‘Gallery of Offices’ since its purpose was to house the offices of Florentine magistrates, is home to some of the most important works of Italian Renaissance art. Some of the most famous works exhibited in this museum include Botticelli's "The Birth of Venus", Da Vinci's "The Annunciation" and Titian's "The Venus of Urbino", as well as other works by Caravaggio, Raphael and Michelangelo.

Villa Borghese
Villa Borghese/ Wikipedia

Galleria Borghese (Borghese Gallery), Rome: This small art museum is located in the gardens of Villa Borghese, owned by the family of the same name, who were Bernini's first patrons and collectors of Caravaggio, whose works are now exhibited here. There are also works by Titian, Raphael and Botticelli. Due to its small size and large number of visitors, you have to book your entrance ticket in advance.

Michelangelo's "David" in Florence, Tuscany
Michelangelo's "David" in Florence, Tuscany / Wikipedia

Galleria dell’Accademia (Gallery of the Academy), Florence: Mainly known for being the home of Michelangelo's "David", one of the masterpieces of the Renaissance, this museum also houses other important works from him, plus originals from Botticelli, Gozzoli and Perugino.

Peggy Guggenheim Museum in Venice
Peggy Guggenheim Museum in Venice / Wikipedia

Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Venice: What was an important palace in the 18th century, with many notable and wealthy patrons, is today the most important museum of contemporary art in Italy. It exhibits the personal collection of Peggy Guggenheim, who collected the best pieces of European and American art from the first half of the twentieth century. Among the famous artists on display are Kandinsky, Dalí and Pollock, among others.

The Mole Antonelliana building in Turin
The Mole Antonelliana building in Turin / Wikipedia

Museo Nazionale del Cinema (National Museum of Cinema), Turin: Take a tour through the history of the silver screen in this museum located in one of the main architectural symbols of Turin, the Mole Antonelliana. Here you will find interactive material from various film genres, costumes and props from mythical films like Lawrence of Arabia and Dracula. You’re sure to be captivated by the audio-visual wonders on offer in this museum, specially designed for the visitor.

For petrolheads

The entrace to the famous National Automobile Museum in Turin
The entrace to the famous National Automobile Museum in Turin / Wikipedia

Museo Nazionale dell'Automobile (National Automobile Museum), Turin: This museum houses a collection of 200 cars, representing 80 companies from countries such as Italy, Great Britain, the United States or Germany. Wander around the various collections, from classic cars to racing cars, including the first Italian cars, the 1896 Bernardi.

A F1 classic car in the Ferrari Museum
A F1 classic car in the Ferrari Museum / Wikipedia

Museo Ferrari (Ferrari Museum), Maranello: This museum from Ferrari dedicated to cars, especially the world’s best race cars, is one of the most prestigious and famous in the world and is sure to delight all motorheads out there. Observe all the best classic cars of this make, as well as the winning cars of the different competitions in which the team participates. As if that wasn’t not enough, you can even ride one of its two simulators and feel the excitement of being an F1 driver.