Baths of Diocletian

This item appears on page 84 of the February 2009 issue.

After a 30-year restoration effort, a large hall in the Baths of Diocletian, or Terme di Diocleziano (Viale E. di Nicola 79; metro stop Termini; phone 06 39 96 7700, www.roma2000.it/munaro.html), has reopened to the public.

Built around AD 306 and once able to accommodate 3,000 people, the baths, now one of the sites of the National Museum of Rome, house a collection of Greek and Roman art, mosaics, sarcophagi and artifacts such as jewelry and coins. The newly opened hall contains tombs dating back to the second century AD. Ancient graffiti and marble design work decorate the vaults.

The baths are open 9 a.m.-7:45 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday (last admission, one hour before closing). Admission, €7 (near $10), also provides entry to the Palazzo Massimo alle Terme.