From 1975 to the present day

In 1975, to celebrate the city's two-thousandth birthday, the National Museum of Roman Art was created by decree. This was a turning point for the Institution, as its new status as a National Museum would allow it to claim a new home. There were several proposals to place it at archaeological sites like the Alcazaba or the Columbarum. However, the then-director of the Institution, José Álvarez Sáenz de Buruaga, preferred the idea of bringing it as close as possible to the city’s two most-visited monuments: the Roman Theatre and the Amphitheatre. Following the acquisition of a site adjacent to the latter, the project was entrusted to Rafael Moneo Vallés, launching a professional career that would make him one of Spain's most renowned architects.

The ribbon was cut on the new building by the King and Queen of Spain on 19 September 1986. Coinciding with the start of this new venture, a sizeable team of professionals was assembled, with the new director, José María Álvarez Martínez, at the helm. Two organisations linked to the Institution were also created at this time: the Association of Friends of the Museum and the Foundation for Roman Studies. Ever since, the National Museum of Roman Art has firmly established its status, not only among Spanish archaeological collections, but also in the international scientific community, through its participation in various projects, as well as its involvement in and organisation of numerous international meetings.