Museo Archeologico Nazionale

The magnificent Museo Archeologico Nazionale houses one of the world’s finest collections of Graeco-Roman artefacts. It was originally a cavalry barracks and later the seat of the city’s university. The museum was established by the Bourbon king Charles VII in the late 18th century to house the rich collection of antiquities he had inherited from his mother, Elisabetta Farnese, as well as treasures that had been looted from Pompeii and Herculaneum. The museum also contains the Borgia collection of Etruscan and Egyptian relics.

To avoid getting lost in its rambling galleries (numbered in Roman numerals), invest €7.50 in the green quick-guide National Archaeological Museum of Naples or, to concentrate on the highlights, €4 for an audioguide in English. It’s also worth calling ahead to ensure the galleries you want to see are open, as staff shortages often mean that sections of the museum close for part of the day.

While the basement houses the Borgia collection of Egyptian relics and epigraphs, the ground floor is given over to the Farnese collection of Greek and Roman sculpture. The two highlights are the colossal Toro Farnese (Farnese Bull) in Room XVI and gigantic Ercole (Hercules) in Room XI. Sculpted in the early 3rd century AD, the Toro Farnese, probably a Roman copy of a Greek original, depicts the death of Dirce, Queen of Thebes, who was tied to a bull and torn apart over rocks. The sculpture, carved from a single block, was discovered in Rome in 1545 and restored by Michelangelo before being shipped to Naples in 1787. Ercole was discovered in the same Roman excavations. It was found legless, but the Bourbons had his original pins fitted when they turned up at a later dig.

On the mezzanine floor is a small but stunning collection of mosaics, mostly from Pompeii. Of the series taken from the Casa del Fauno at Pompeii, it’s the awe- inspiring La Battaglia di Alessandro Contro Dario (The Battle of Alexander against Darius) that stands out. Measuring 20 sq metres, it’s the best-known depiction of Alexander the Great in existence.

Beyond the mosaics is the Gabinetto Segreto (Secret Room), home to the museum’s ancient porn. The climax, so to speak, is an intriguing statue of Pan servicing a nanny goat, originally found in Herculaneum. The erotic paintings depicting sexual positions once served as a menu for brothel clients.

On the 1st floor, the vast Sala Meridiana contains the Farnese Atlante, a statue of Atlas carrying a globe on his shoulders. The rest of the floor is largely devoted to discoveries from Pompeii, Herculaneum, Stabiae and Cuma. Items range from huge murals and frescoes to a pair of gladiator helmets, household items, ceramics and glassware.