Naples National Archaeological Museum

The Naples National Archaeological Museum holds one of the world's most important collections of Greco-Roman antiquity, anchored by finds from Pompeii and Herculaneum and enriched by the Farnese collection that King Charles III of Bourbon transferred from Rome when he founded the museum in 1777. The building itself began life in the late 16th century as a cavalry barracks before its Bourbon-era conversion. Highlights include the colossal Farnese Hercules — a 3rd-century AD marble copy of a Greek original — and the Alexander Mosaic, a breathtaking floor piece removed intact from Pompeii's Casa del Fauno. The Gabinetto Segreto, a room of erotic objects from the Vesuvian cities, was locked away from public view for most of its history and only made permanently accessible in 2000. Open Wednesday through Monday, 09:00–19:30; closed Tuesday.