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National Archaeological Museum of Naples

📍 Piazza Museo 44, 80135 Napoli, Italy
National Archaeological Museum of Naples
1 photos
4.5/ 5.0
★★★★★

Quick Facts

Location
Italy, Naples
Category
Museum
Duration
2-4 hours
Address
Piazza Museo 44, 80135 Napoli, Italy
Coordinates
40.8536, 14.2512

Introduction

One of the world's great archaeology museums, founded in the 18th century under Charles III of Bourbon and housed in a late-16th-century cavalry barracks. Each floor has its brief: Roman sculpture from the Farnese collection below - the Farnese Bull and Hercules among antiquity's largest statues; Pompeii and Herculaneum frescoes and mosaics above, including the Alexander Mosaic's million tesserae recreating a battle; and the Gabinetto Segreto gathering the adult-themed finds from the buried cities. Doing this museum before Pompeii itself is the classic order.

✨ Highlights

1
Farnese Bull
The colossal group unearthed at Rome's baths, ranking among the largest sculptures of antiquity.
2
Alexander Mosaic
Pompeii's vast floor mosaic, a million tesserae freezing a battle's turning moment.
3
Pompeian Frescoes
Whole walls peeled from the ash, their pigment still startlingly bright.
4
Secret Cabinet
The erotic finds from the buried cities, kept behind locked doors from the 18th century.
5
Barracks Building
A late-1500s cavalry quarters turned gallery - the shell itself is history.

🛈 Practical Info

→Duration：Three hours for a serious pass; two if you cherry-pick.
→Sequence：Split it from Pompeii across two days - museum first makes the ruins legible.
→Transportation：Metro Line 1's Museo station opens directly onto the museum piazza.

Opening Hours

Opening Hours
Monday09:00-19:30
TuesdayClosed (Tuesday)
Wednesday09:00-19:30
Thursday09:00-19:30
Friday09:00-19:30
Saturday09:00-19:30
Sunday09:00-19:30

Per the official Orari e biglietti page (checked 4 November 2026) the museum runs 9:00-19:30, the box office closes at 18:30 and closing procedures begin at 19:00. Tuesday is the weekly closing day. Every public holiday is open except 1 January and 25 December, and when a Tuesday falls on a holiday the museum stays open and moves its day off to the following Wednesday. Since 5 February 2025, while the front facade is being renovated, the entrance and ticket office are at the side door (portone occidentale). Which collections are on view each day is listed on the Piano di apertura collezioni page.

Ticket Information

Ticket Information
AdultFull ticket EUR 20.00, valid for the museum and the exhibitions on show
StudentReduced EUR 2.00 for people aged 18 to 25 who are citizens of EU and EEA states, of Switzerland or Uruguay, or hold an Italian residence permit; the right ends the day after the 25th birthday. Artecard holders pay EUR 10.00 after their free entries
ChildEveryone under 18 enters free
Free AdmissionFree for all on the first Sunday of each month and on 25 April, 2 June, 4 November and 8 December 2026, and for women on 8 March; Italian teachers with a school certificate and visitors with disabilities are free year-round

On free-for-all days tickets cannot be pre-booked, are collected at the box office, and the Egyptian collection, Secret Cabinet and Magna Grecia section stay shut. Online booking has a zero advance-booking fee; queries to [email protected]. School and group visits of 10 to 30 people must be booked ahead.

💡 Tips

• The entrance and ticket office are temporarily at the side door, portone occidentale, while the main frontage is renovated.
• The box office closes at 18:30, clearing starts at 19:00 and the museum shuts at 19:30, so keep the afternoon for the Egyptian collection and the Secret Cabinet.
• The first Sunday of each month is free for everyone, but those tickets are collected at the box office only and the Egyptian collection, Secret Cabinet and Magna Grecia section remain closed.
• The OPEN MANN annual pass costs EUR 25 over 25, EUR 5 for ages 18 to 25, EUR 10 for students at EU universities, EUR 23 for two adults over 25 and EUR 20 for companies, with unlimited entry for 365 days from first use for the named holder only.
• Under-18s enter free, and 18 to 25 year-olds from the EU, EEA, Switzerland, Uruguay or holding an Italian permit pay the reduced EUR 2 fare.

FAQ

What are the opening hours of National Archaeological Museum of Naples?

Monday: 09:00-19:30; Tuesday: Closed (Tuesday); Wednesday: 09:00-19:30; Thursday: 09:00-19:30; Friday: 09:00-19:30; Saturday: 09:00-19:30; Sunday: 09:00-19:30; Per the official Orari e biglietti page (checked 4 November 2026) the museum runs 9:00-19:30, the box office closes at 18:30 and closing procedures begin at 19:00. Tuesday is the weekly closing day. Every public holiday is open except 1 January and 25 December, and when a Tuesday falls on a holiday the museum stays open and moves its day off to the following Wednesday. Since 5 February 2025, while the front facade is being renovated, the entrance and ticket office are at the side door (portone occidentale). Which collections are on view each day is listed on the Piano di apertura collezioni page.

How much is the admission for National Archaeological Museum of Naples?

Adult: Full ticket EUR 20.00, valid for the museum and the exhibitions on show; Student: Reduced EUR 2.00 for people aged 18 to 25 who are citizens of EU and EEA states, of Switzerland or Uruguay, or hold an Italian residence permit; the right ends the day after the 25th birthday. Artecard holders pay EUR 10.00 after their free entries; Child: Everyone under 18 enters free; Free Admission: Free for all on the first Sunday of each month and on 25 April, 2 June, 4 November and 8 December 2026, and for women on 8 March; Italian teachers with a school certificate and visitors with disabilities are free year-round; On free-for-all days tickets cannot be pre-booked, are collected at the box office, and the Egyptian collection, Secret Cabinet and Magna Grecia section stay shut. Online booking has a zero advance-booking fee; queries to [email protected]. School and group visits of 10 to 30 people must be booked ahead.

Any practical tips for visiting National Archaeological Museum of Naples?

The entrance and ticket office are temporarily at the side door, portone occidentale, while the main frontage is renovated. The box office closes at 18:30, clearing starts at 19:00 and the museum shuts at 19:30, so keep the afternoon for the Egyptian collection and the Secret Cabinet.

How long should I spend at National Archaeological Museum of Naples?

A typical visit takes 2-4 hours.

Details here follow museoarcheologiconapoli.it; hours, prices and access change with the season and events, so please check museoarcheologiconapoli.it before you go.