The galleries devoted to Greek and Roman antiquity are among the calmest spaces in the museum. The light comes from above; the marble seems to breathe.
The winged figure
A Hellenistic victory perched at the top of a grand staircase remains, for many visitors, the single most thrilling object here. Approach from below, on the staircase itself, not from the gallery above.
The graceful goddess
An armless marble figure of feminine perfection draws crowds for good reason. The original colour is long gone; imagine her painted.
Roman portrait busts
These small heads are the social media of the ancient world: faces designed to be remembered. Some still are.
Etruscan rooms
Often overlooked, these rooms hold tomb sculpture of astonishing tenderness — couples reclining together for eternity.