Rome, the Orthogonal Hall of the Baths of Diocletian hosts the Museum of Salvaged Art

In the heart of the Baths of Diocletian, among the grandest monuments of Imperial Rome, a project combining protection, memory, and enhancement is taking shape: the Museum of Salvaged Art. Its home is the Orthogonal Hall, a stark and monumental space, now transformed into a symbolic venue for telling stories of the recovery and restitution of works of art stolen or sold on the illicit market.

The initiative, promoted by the Ministry of Culture and the Carabinieri Command for the Protection of Cultural Heritage, was born with a specific purpose: to show the public the results of international operations to combat the illegal trafficking of archaeological finds, paintings, and artifacts, before they are returned to their countries of origin.

Inside the Hall, visitors are greeted by a path that alternates ancient artifacts with multimedia displays, aiming to explain not only the aesthetic and historical value of the works but also the complex processes that led to their discovery. Statues, mosaics, ceramics, and artifacts rescued from illegal trade find an extraordinarily evocative setting here, restoring dignity and a voice to a heritage at risk of disappearing.

"The choice of the Orthogonal Hall is not accidental," the curators explain, "the architectural rigor of the space evokes the very concept of order and legality, values that underlie cultural preservation."

The Museum of Salvaged Art thus presents itself not only as a temporary exhibition of recovered works, but as a true laboratory of civic and cultural education. A place where the past, rescued from oblivion, comes back to life and teaches the universal value of shared memory.