At 26 Piazza di Spagna, beside the Spanish Steps, the Keats-Shelley House preserves the rooms where John Keats spent his final days. This small museum looks beyond Keats to the wider circle of Romantic writers, with his letters and poem drafts alongside items connected to Percy Bysshe Shelley, Mary Shelley and Lord Byron. Look for Mary Shelley’s writing desk and Keats’s clay death mask, then pause on the balcony for a view over the steps. A short documentary introduces the poets before you explore the exhibits.
Keats’s last home in Piazza di Spagna
The museum occupies the apartment at 26 Piazza di Spagna where John Keats spent the last months of his life. He died there in 1821, aged 25. The address sits immediately beside the Spanish Steps, putting the rooms where he lived at close quarters with one of Rome’s best-known public spaces.
The house is named for Keats and Percy Bysshe Shelley, but the two poets did not live together here. Shelley spent much of his life in Italy, and the collection also reaches beyond both namesakes to writers in their circle.
Letters, manuscripts and personal objects
The collection brings together material connected with English Romantic writers, including Keats, Shelley, Mary Shelley and Lord Byron. Among the items are Keats’s letters and drafts of poems, signed material associated with Shelley and Byron, and Mary Shelley’s writing desk. Keats’s clay death mask is another notable object.
Paintings and images of Romantic writers add context to the manuscripts and personal belongings. The exhibits are explained, so you can follow the people and their work as you move through the small rooms. A documentary about Keats and Shelley in Rome plays before the visit to the collection.
A compact visit with a view
The museum’s rooms are limited, and a group visit can make one of them difficult to access temporarily. If you want time to look closely at the displays, check whether a group is expected before you go. The house’s intimate scale gives the visit a close focus on the poets’ lives, rather than a large gallery route.
Pause at the windows and balcony for views across the Spanish Steps. The museum also has a bookshop. Its library holds a substantial collection of Romantic literature, and books can be consulted by request; ask the staff about access if research is part of your visit.
Continue the literary trail
Keats and Shelley are buried at Rome’s non-Catholic Cemetery, making it a natural addition for visitors following the poets’ lives in the city. The cemetery visit gives a different setting for remembering them after seeing the house where Keats died.
The museum’s staff can be contacted by email about ticket arrangements and updates before your visit. There is an admission fee, and advance ticket planning is recommended. The house is a focused stop for readers interested in English poetry, manuscripts and the final chapter of Keats’s life in Rome.
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Where is the Keats-Shelley House?
It is at 26 Piazza di Spagna, beside the Spanish Steps in Rome.
How long does a visit take?
Plan about an hour to see the exhibits and watch the introductory documentary.
Is there an admission fee?
Yes, admission is charged. The amount is not specified here.
Can you see the Spanish Steps from the museum?
Yes. The museum has a balcony overlooking the Spanish Steps.
