National Archaeological Museum of Naples

From the masterpieces found in Pompeii and Herculaneum, to the bronzes, furnishings, ancient sculptures, and epigraphic and coin collections, Naples’s National Archaeological Museum is one of the oldest and most important museums in the world, renowned for its rich, unique collection. The museum was founded on Charles de Bourbon’s passion for art and archaeology.
After conquering Naples in 1734, the new King promoted the excavations of the two cities buried by the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD and ordered the construction of a Farnese museum, to house a part of the collection inherited from his mother Elisabetta Farnese, at the time divided between the family’s residences in Rome and Parma. The Museum collection, which was nationalised in 1860, have grown with the acquisition of items excavated in Campania and Southern Italy, but also from private collections.

The bookshop, with its recently renovated interior and updated book selection, is located on the ground floor, on the western side near the entrance. It offers a selection of books dedicated to archaeology, catalogues of the most recent exhibitions, museum guides and a rich assortment of gadgets, from shopping bags to t-shirts and stationery, all inspired by the artwork exhibited in the museum.