Naples National Archaeological Museum, Archaeological museum in Naples, Italy
The Naples National Archaeological Museum is one of the largest archaeological museums in Italy, located in the historic center of the city. The collections span several floors and include Roman sculptures, wall paintings from buried cities near Mount Vesuvius, Greek vases, and ancient gems.
Ferdinand I of Bourbon founded the museum in 1777 to unite royal collections and make them available to the public. From 1816 onward, the building was officially used as a public museum and expanded after more finds from excavations near Mount Vesuvius were added.
The building itself started as a 16th century cavalry complex, later transformed into a museum to house the royal Farnese Collection. Today, visitors from around the world come to see the Alexander Mosaic, which was recovered from a house in Pompeii and shows a battle scene between two ancient rulers.
The museum sits in central Naples, a short walk from the Museo metro station, and is accessible for wheelchair users. Most collections are spread across multiple floors, so plan enough time for a complete visit.
A special section displays erotic objects from Pompeii and Herculaneum, which were closed to visitors for centuries. Access was only granted in the year 2000, after these items had long been considered unsuitable for public viewing.
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