Palazzo Altemps, a few steps from Piazza Navona, was originally built as a Renaissance residence for the cardinal of the same name.

The palace, rich in frescoes and valuable decorations, now houses the collections of ancient statuary from the great noble Roman families, including Egyptian artifacts.

Among other treasures, Palazzo Altemps also hosts the Boncompagni Ludovisi collection, featuring masterpieces from Magna Graecia such as the Ludovisi Throne, Hellenistic works like the Gaul Killing Himself group, and imperial pieces like the Ludovisi Battle Sarcophagus. Since 2013, part of the Evan Gorga archaeological collection has been on display to the public.

The Museum of Palazzo Altemps has thus delved into the theme of early 20th-century collecting, drawing from the antique market and the discoveries of major excavations of that time, juxtaposing it with the collecting practices of the great Renaissance families of the 1500s and 1600s.

The location of the National Roman Museum at Palazzo Altemps exemplifies the rise of collecting in the 16th and 17th centuries. The passion for beautiful objects, as well as the desire to showcase the economic power and political influence of the family, led Roman families to amass masterpieces. The city's aristocracy, undoubtedly favored by Rome's archaeological wealth, vied in the splendor of collecting. This is evidenced by the numerous works preserved in the museum, originating from the sculpture collections of the Altemps, Boncompagni Ludovisi, Mattei families, and the Brancaccio and Del Drago marble reliefs.

The significant political and religious importance of the Altemps family is highlighted in the church of Clemenza and Sant'Aniceto, renowned not only for its extraordinary wealth of gilded stuccoes, colored marbles, paintings, and mother-of-pearl inlays but also for being the only church within a private residence to house the relics of a saint, those of Anicetus, one of the early popes.

To honor the memory of the saint, Pomarancio (Antonio Circignani) was commissioned to create frescoes depicting the martyrdom of Anicetus. It was here that Gabriele D'Annunzio married Maria Hardouin di Gallese in 1883, the family that last inherited Palazzo Altemps before it became property of the Holy See in 1887.