The two lateral palaces house the CAPITOLINE MUSEUM which contains a very rich collection of classical marbles, the oldest public collection in the world (1471).
In the courtyard of the Palazzo Nuovo, on the left for those who have climbed the “Cordonata”, we see among other things, the statue of Marforio, one of the “talking” statues of Rome, like the more famous Pasquino. A broad stairway leads to the first floor.

In the center of the first room, the Dying Gaul lies in agony, a marble copy of the bronze statue of the Hellenistic King Attalus I of Pergamon (III century b.C.); the simple, natural position of the body, the features of the face which express deep anguish while they reveal human strength, everything blends marvellously to make this statue one of the most significant examples of the Hellenistic scupture.

The well known group of Love and Psyche, an enchanting Hellenistic work, shows the chaste kiss of young lovers, the sculpture is a copy of the II century original. The Satyr is the best copy of an original bronze statue by Praxiteles, who had the divine gifts of tender beauty and grace.
Second and third room: various sculptured works of art. The fourth, or philosopher’s room, contains many busts of Greek and Roman writers and warriors. In the center, the seated statue is believed to be M. Claudius Marcellus, one of the Roman generals of the Second Punic War who, after a long siege, occupied Syracuse, where the famous Greek scientist Archimedes rendered useless the powerful machines of the Romans. Among the many busts, four are the great epic poet of Greece, Homer, who sang the heroes of Troy, and was disputed as citizen by seven cities. Tradition represents him as a poor blind man. Socrates, the celebrated Athenian philosopher, is here with his flat nose, thick lips, protruding eyes, like a satyr. Before drinking the fatal poisoned cup, he had already set forth his idea of the immortality of the soul.
The fifth room, or “room of the Emperors”, contains about eighty busts of Roman Emperors and Empresses; it is the most interesting portait gallery in existence. The name of Caesar is commonly given to the first twelve Emperors. These who, when we were in school, seemed like myths to us, now become men of yesterday through their life-like busts in this room. Art has made them our contemporaries.
The “Room of Venus”:
The Capitoline Venus was found in the Suburra in the XVII century. It is perhaps the most pleasing representation of all the goddesses; here we admire her in all her beauty, full of charm and grace. It is in the style of Praxiteles.
The “Room of the Doves”:
The mosaic of the Doves was found in Hadrian’s Villa at Tivoli and was at once recognized as the one described by the naturalist Plinius. It might even be taken for a painting, so fine is the work. In the lovely figure of a Maiden clasping a Dove to her Breast, when attacked by a snake, we see a symbol of the human soul making the choice between good and evil.

The Palace of the Conservatori contains innumerable artistic treasure.
The first room was painted by Giuseppe Cesari, Cav. d’Arpino. He worked here for more than forty years. The other rooms were painted by Laurenti, Daniele da Volterra, Carracci, etc. The admirable statue of the Cavaspina (Boy extracting a Thorn from his Foot) in the third room, belongs to the pre-Phidian period. It is probably the best surviving statue of that time.
The Wolf (fourth room), the symbol of Rome, is an Etruscan work which dates from the V century b.C. In the XV century, during the first flowering of the Renaissance, the Tuscan sculptor, Pollaiolo added the figures of the two babies, who represent Romulus and Remus.

The Pinacoteca Capitolina, picture gallery, countains some important masterpieces, among others: Romulus and Remus, by Rubens; Cleopatra and Augustus, by Guercino; The Rape of Europa, by Veronese; St. Sebastian, by Guido Reni ect.