The travertine not only fits in with the overall design goals, but it also provides a connection between different spaces and between the museum and the natural surrounding environment. “Outside the main structure, a low travertine wall extending from within the main hall traces the ancient shore of the Tiber River,” reads a statement from Richard Meier & Partners. The stone wall continues into the museum and serves as a backdrop for works such as modern plaster casts of Julio-Claudian Roman portraits.

In addition to housing and protecting the Ara Pacis, the facility also hosts temporary exhibitions and installations dedicated to archaeological themes and a state-of-the-art digital library of Augustan culture. The building also features an outdoor roof terrace that includes a bar and café with views over the Mausoleum of Augustus to the east and the Tiber River to the west.

The building work for the project was awarded to the Marie Engineering of Italy, and it was overseen by the local Municipal Administration, the Government Office of Cultural Assets and the Office of the Historic City.
 

The facility makes extensive use of Roman travertine