The National Archaeological Museum is housed in a spacious building erected in 1586 by the architect Fontana for the royal stables, which he rebuilt for the University. At the beginning of the 19th century it was converted into a museum, housing the art collection of the Farnese family of Parma. With the arrival in Naples of the most important archaeological finds from Pompeii, Herculaneum and Stabii, the entire collection was placed in the present building.
In 1860, the museum opened to the public. In 1980 during an earthquake the museum's collections were badly damaged and restoration work is still ongoing.
The Museum houses a rich collection of Pompeian mosaics, archaeological finds from Pompeii and Herculaneum, including the "Erotic Art of Pompeii" collection.
