The Ara Pacis Museum is the first architectural work to be completed in the centre of Rome, since the fall of Fascism and up to the present day. The project is the work of architect Richard Meier and serves to protect the altar from dust, exhaust gases, vibrations, sudden temperature changes, and moisture and to turn the Ara Pacis into a museum according to modern conservation criteria. The Ara Pacis is one of the highest examples of classic art. It was built at the wishes of the Roman Senate in the year 13 BCE, to honour the return of Augustus from the provinces of Gaul and Spain. The altar was built along the Flaminian Way, but the alluvial nature of the area and the floods of the River Tiber soon buried the Ara and its traces and memory were lost. The monument was rebuilt between 1937 and 1938 to celebrate the two thousandth anniversary of Augustus’ birth.

The Ara Pacis Museum is part of the Musei in Comune network as well as of the accessibility programme, “Musei da toccare”. To offer deaf people a full and complete museum experience, a video in Italian sign language, with subtitles, is projected inside the Museum on a multimedia support. The video, which lasts about 3 minutes is also available online, welcomes deaf visitors, and introduces the route of the visit. Through Zètema, Roma Capitale services company, it is also possible to reserve (email to didattica@zetema.it or tel. 060608) guided Museum visits, with Italian Sign Language translator or guide.