Initially established in the Lateran Apostolic Palace at the behest of Gregory XVI Cappellari on 16 May 1844, the Gregorian Profane Museum documents different moments and themes of classical art, starting with ancient Greece and continuing into the late imperial Roman age. The museum tour begins with the sculptures in the section of the Greek originals, consisting mainly of funerary stelae, votive reliefs and fragments of architectural sculptures. The tour continues through the spaces dedicated to copies and re-elaborations of Greek originals made in the Roman period, which include mainly portraits and ideal sculpture. Great emphasis is placed on sculpture from the Imperial Roman period, documented by important works from public and private buildings and monuments, as well as portraits and iconic statues.