Museo Nazionale della Ceramica Duca di Martina, Ceramics museum in Villa Floridiana, Naples, Italy.

The Museo Nazionale della Ceramica Duca di Martina occupies Villa Floridiana, the neoclassical residence on the Vomero hill that Antonio Niccolini remodelled between 1817 and 1819 for Ferdinand IV's wife, Lucia Migliaccio. Its more than 6,000 decorative works from the 12th to the 19th century are arranged over three levels: ground floor, basement and first floor, with rooms numbered in Roman numerals from I to XXVIII. The visit begins in the vestibule, where portraits of Ferdinand IV and the duchess of Floridia hang, and continues up the large side staircase.

In 1815 Ferdinand IV of Bourbon bought the Vomero mansion of Prince Giuseppe Caracciolo di Torella for his wife Lucia Migliaccio, duchess of Floridia, and named the villa after her. Architect Antonio Niccolini gave it its neoclassical form between 1817 and 1819. The state acquired the Floridiana in 1919, and since 1927 it has housed the ceramics collection donated in 1911 by Placido de Sangro, earl of Marsi, heir of the duke of Martina.

The collection reflects how ceramics from Asia were brought to Europe and valued by wealthy families. Visitors can observe how these pieces were displayed and treasured in aristocratic homes during past centuries.

The museum is open on specific weekdays, so plan your visit according to the schedule before arriving. The building sits on a hillside, so be prepared for stairs and varied floor levels throughout the spaces.

The gardens surrounding the building contain unusual plant species, including camellias and pines, that create a natural setting around the art. These outdoor spaces were intentionally designed to combine the viewing of ceramics with time spent among greenery.