The building, which houses the museum, was built during the later portion of the 16th century.  The most noted additions to the museum are the Farnese collection acquired from Charles of Bourbon at the beginning of the 19th century and the archaeological findings from Herculaneum, Pompeii and Stabiae.

The guided tour usually takes two hours, you will discover the incredible Farnese Collection donated by Charles of Bourbon, it contains many wonderful sculptures and gems found at the Baths of Caracalla in Rome. Of the many pieces the most noteworthy of the sculptures are the Bull, which is the largest existing sculpture from Ancient Times, and the magnificent statue of Hercules. The gem collection in its own right is pretty impressive. The center of attraction is the Farnese Cup, which dates back to 150 BC. The cup is made from sardonyx agate and just so happens to be one of the largest cameos in the entire world. In addition to the Farnese collection there are many sculptures attained from Pompeii, Herculaneum and other archaeological sites in Campania.

You will not miss to admire the many frescoes and mosaics from the cities of Herculaneum, Pompeii and Stabiae, which were buried by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD.

Many of the mosaics come from the House of Faun located in Pompeii. Of the mosaics the most noted is the one depicting the Battle of Issus, which was fought between Alexander the Great and Persians who were ruled by King Darius. The frescoes located throughout the museum give us some wonderful insight into the everyday life in these cities during Ancient times. These paintings range from human sacrifices to burial rites to the beginning of spring.

Other collections of interest are the Villa dei Papiri in Herculaneum, the Temple of Isis in Pompeii and the Egyptian collection. Before you leave make sure to visit the glass collection, which contains a beautiful piece from Pompeii titled the Blue Vase.

What amazes me the most is that these frescoes, sculptures and other antiquities survived the eruption of Vesuvius as well as over 2000 years of existence.