7 Reasons to Visit the Museum of Liberation in Rome


 

The Museum of Liberation in Rome is a place where Italian history and art come together in a beautiful symphonic exhibition space.

While the museum is centered around a very tumultuous time in Roman history, the journey itself is expressed through a collection of are that was either created during or after the times in question.

Through these mediums you’ll be educated on exactly what occurred in this city all those years ago, making it one of the most enriching historical landmarks in the Italian capital after the Colosseum and Forum.

Museum of Liberation – by Roundtheworld – Wikimedia Commons

PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Address: Monday to Sunday — 9am to 7pm
ADDRESS: Via Tasso, 145, 00185 Roma RM, Italy
Metro STATION: Manzoni

1. It Was Once Used as a House of Torture

Basically, the Museum of Liberation is a space dedicated to the memory of the times when Rome was under occupation by the Germans during the Second World War.

The museum gets its name from April 25th 1945 when Mussolini’s Italian Social Republic officially fell and the country was finally liberated.

During the first half of 1944, the building that now houses the museum was actually being used by the Germans as a place of torture. Anyone even suspected as being part of the Italian resistance was brought in by force and questioned.

Museum of Liberation – by Author Anthony M – Wikimedia Commons

Most of them were detained against their will, interrogated multiple times and tortured to provide answers. Detainees were given the option to leave, but they would then be sent off to German prison camps or deported against their wishes.

When the country was liberated in 1945 the building was occupied by the displaced peoples of the land. It was only in 1950 that the owner donated it to the State, asking that it be transformed into the Museum of Liberation that we now know it as today.   

2. The Cells are Used as Exhibition Spaces at the Museum of Liberation

Indeed, there are four spaces to this museum: the ground floor, first floor, second floor and third floor.

The ground floor is where you’ll find the arrivals hall and reception. This is also where the library is situated. It holds records of just about everything that took place during the resistance, including pamphlets and pieces of propaganda.

The first floor and upward are where things get interesting as this is where the old cells are located. There are exhibitions throughout each of the floors, using cells as individual rooms of display.

Museum of Liberation – by Author Anthony M – Wikimedia Commons

You can see where detainees were held in solitary confinement, where they might have slept and the windowless rooms in which they would have been tortured.

Throughout the cells there are plaques of dedication to specific individuals who would have seen their lives come to an end in the space. It’s a chilling experience but fascinating all the same.

3. It Marks an Important Day in Italian History

The events after which the museum is affiliated mark a very important day in Italian history.

Mussolini’s reign coming to an end was the start of a new Italy. A place were anything was possible and this rang loudly through the people. More than this, the museum continues to be a pillar of representation for everyone in Rome.

So much so that on the evening of 22 November in 1999 there was an explosion just outside of the museum gates. It is believed to have been an act of anti-Semitic nature. A few nights later over 3500 local Romans demonstrated outside of the museum walls in solidarity, again proving this to be a police of libration and not injustice.

4. Both Italy and Portugal Share a Liberation Day

Perhaps this is something that only interests me, but Italy and Portugal were actually both Liberated on the same day of the year, but years apart.

A happy coincidence, I’m sure, but interesting to note that both countries now celebrate widely on the 25th of April each year.

Portugal saw their own liberation in the form of the Carnation Revolution that took place on April 25th in 1974. This saw a military coup move the nation into a democratic government, and it is celebrate annually.

The walls inside the Museum of Liberation – by Author Anthony M – Wikimedia Commons

As we know, many years prior, Italy gained its independence from Mussolini on April 25th 1954 when his regime fell from power.

Two European countries where great celebration can be experienced in the streets during this time of year!

5. See the Portal of Memorials With Your Own Eyes

The Museum of Liberation was acknowledged by the Sites of Conscience, International Coalition, as an important landmark for the history of the assassination of the European Jews.

It is regarded as a memorial space in which the Jewish suffering during World War II is commemorated in Italy, often referred to as the “Portal of Memorials”.

As mentioned there are plaques dedicated to all of the lives lost throughout the museum. It is indeed a memorial portal into the horrors that took place within both these walls and greater Rome.

The walls inside the Museum of Liberation – by Author Anthony M – Wikimedia Commons

6. Explore the Quiet Neighborhood of San Giovanni in Rome

San Giovanni is a wonderfully quiet neighborhood in the south eastern part of Rome’s city center.

The museum itself is nestled in a side street, hidden from the public eye which isn’t typical for museums in Europe. It very much adds to the history of the space, and the nature in which it was used secretly by those occupying the land.

San Giovanni in Rome – by MrPanyGoff – Wikimedia Commons

San Giovanni has a lot of churches, too. Beautiful old Italian cathedrals that are still loved and maintained by the locals of the city.

Spending a day in this neighborhood, exploring the streets on foot, will be a really transportive experience for anyone interested in the World War II era. There are also a lot of beautiful street-side trattorias where you can have a traditional Italian meal between exploring.

7. It’s Free to Visit!

The last, but never least, reason to visit the Museum of Liberation in Rome is because it is absolutely free to all.

There is no charge to enter this space or soak up all the tales it has to tell. The museum is open seven days a week.

There is an optional donation if you feel compelled to do so at the end. Tis goes toward the basic maintenance of the museum so that it might remain open for years to come.

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