Capodimonte Museum

The Museo di Capodimonte, or Capodimonte Museum, is one of the most important historic and cultural sights in Naples and a must-see for any fan of art and architecture.

• Location: Via Miano n. 2 – 80131 Naples

• Hours: Daily from 8:30AM to 7:30PM (second floor from 9:30AM to 5:00PM). Wednesdays closed.

• Duration of the visit: 3-5 hours without the grounds

• Ticket price: EUR 15.

• Directions: bus 168 or 178 (Porta Piccola stop); bus C63 (Porta Grande stop); bus 604 (Viale Colli Aminei stop); Capodimonte shuttle bus from Piazza Trieste e Trento

Officially the Museo Nazionale di Capodimonte, this museum is located inside the royal palace of the same name that was built by the Bourbon royalty in the 1700s to house the magnificent art collection that Charles of Bourbon inherited from his mother. The Capodimonte museum is set in the Capodimonte neighborhood in the hills above the city and is surrounded by the Real Bosco di Capodimonte, or royal grounds, one of the lushes and most popular park grounds in Naples. There are sweeping views across the city and Bay of Naples from the palace and park.

Bosco di Capodimonte (Royal Grounds)

We suggest you put aside a few hours to explore the Bosco di Capodimonte, with its gardens, fountains, wooded groves, picnic areas, and walking and hiking trails. There are a number of historic buildings inside the grounds that were once part of the palace complex, including the royal stables, Church of San Gennaro, and pheasant cote.

Highlights of the Capodimonte Museum

You may have heard of the Capodimonte Museum's famous collection of porcelain, but this vast complex is home to numerous artworks from different eras and in a variety of media. Over the centuries, the collection at the Museo di Capodimonte has expanded far beyond the original Farnese Collection with which it was founded, which once belonged to the mother of Charles of Bourbon. Today, you can take in hundreds of paintings (including works by Luca Giordano, Caravaggio. Battistello Caracciolo, and Mattia Preti), tapestries, prints, antique furnishings, and sculptures. The museum also houses a collection of advertising posters from the end of the 1800s, contemporary art installations, and a large collection of armory. The scope and the value of the collection of artworks make this Neapolitan museum one of the richest and most interesting in Italy.

The Wunderkammer

One of the most unique collections inside the Museo di Capodimonte is the Galleria delle cose rare, or Gallery of Rare Objects, displayed in halls 13 and 14 of the museum. The collection includes rare and eclectic objects including a small silver box decorated with enamel and precious gems and a rare board game using a figure of the goddess Diana that has a mecchanism that lets players fill the figure with wine.

Capodimonte often hosts temporary exhibitions that are included in the ticket price of the museum. There are also workshops and activities for children and families offered on Sundays.

Getting to the Capodimonte Museum

The Museo di Capodimonte can be reached easily from the city center via the Shuttle Capodimonte that runs between Piazza Trieste e Trento and the museum in 22 minutes. The shuttle runs each hour (round-trip tickets: EUR 8; one-way tickets EUR 5) and tickets can be purchased on board.
When the museum is holding an important temporary exhibition, there are often all-inclusive tickets on sale that include round-trip shuttle service and entry to the museum.

With public transportation

You can also reach the museum via public bus.

From the historic center, catch one of these buses from Piazza Museo near the Archaeological Museum:

• 168 or 178 (Porta Piccola stop, Via Miano);

• C63 (Porta Grande stop, Via Capodimonte);

• 604 (Viale Colli Aminei, about 200 meters from Porta Piccola)

From the Stazione Centrale train station, take the metro subway (line 1 to the Museo stop or line 2 to the Cavour stop) and then proceed by bus.

Discount for those who arrive by taxi

If you take a taxi to the museum, you can request a discount of EUR 2 off the regular museum ticket price during 2019 thanks to the “A Capodimonte in taxi” program. Just show your receipt from the taxi driver (with the same date as your museum visit) at the museum ticket window and the discount will automatically be applied.

Since there isn't much parking, we don't recommend driving to the capodimonte museum. If driving is the only option, take the Tangenziale (beltway) to the Capodimonte exit.

Visiting the Capodimonte Museum

The Capodimonte museum is open daily except for Wednesdays from 8:30AM to 7:30PM. The last entrance is at 6:30PM. The second floor of the museum (where the Gallery of Neapolitan Art from the 1200s to the Baroque period, the contemporary art collection, and the temporary exhibitions are housed) is open from 9:30AM to 5:00PM. The museum is closed on Wednesdays, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day. On the 24th and 31st of December the museum closes at 2PM (last entrance at 1PM).

The Bosco di Capodimonte grounds has its own opening hours and is closed on Christmas Day, New Year's Day, and Easter Monday.

• October, February, March: from 7AM to 6PM

• November, December, January: from 7AM to 5PM

• April to September: from 7AM to 7:30PM

Entrance tickets to the Museo di Capodimonte cost EUR 15 and include temporary exhibitions. The museum is free of charge on the first Sunday of each month.

Some discounted tickets are available:

• for visitors between 18 and 24 years old: EUR 8

• visitors under 18 and holders of the Artecard: free

• San Carlo and Carta Freccia members: EUR 10

Entrance to the Bosco (grounds) is always free.

It takes a few hours to visit the Capodimonte museum, but tickets are good for the entire day so you can take a break for a coffee or lunch and enter the museum again refreshed.

Dining Options Near the Capodimonte Museum

If you are feeling peckish, you can take a break for a snack or meal and return to the collection full of energy. Just a few hundred meters from the museum, the Pizzeria Vittoria has excellent pizza. If you are looking for more substantial pasta or meat dishes, stop at the Trattoria del Bosco that is located near the Porta Piccola.

If you don't mind walking a bit, head to the Sanità neighborhood to sample traditional dishes at Taverna di Totò, known for its Neapolitan classics including spaghetti alle vongole, fried specialties, and mozzarella di bufala. The restaurant is located about 15 minutes from the museum on foot.

Regardless, remember that tickets to the Museo di Capodimonte are valid for a full day and you can exit and re-enter the museum numerous times during the day.