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Top 5 Museums in Naples, Italy

Things to Do — By Laura Thayer on April 19, 2010 at 7:53 pm
Naples brings to mind many things for first time visitors – often the famous Neapolitan pizza, Mt. Vesuvius looming nearby with its silent yet ever-present reminder of volcanic force, and the beauty of the Bay of Naples with the islands of Capri, Ischia and Procida tempting countless visitors over the blue seas. It surprises many visitors to learn that Naples is home to world class art museums that are home to some of the richest art collections in Italy. As I have a passion for art as deep as my passion for Italy, this week I would like to introduce a new Monday Museum Series here on the Naples Local Flavor Blog. Each Monday I will highlight a museum or gallery in Naples, sharing highlights of the collections and helpful visiting information.
But, first, let’s kick of this series with a quick look at the Top 5 Museums in Naples!

National Archaeological Museum by Raenef on Flickr.com

#1 – Museo Archeologico Nazionale
By far the queen of Naples’ art museums, the National Archaeological Museum is home to one of the top collections of ancient art anywhere in the world. If this isn’t on your To Do list, go quick and add it now. The museum is home to the impressive Farnese collection, one of the largest collections of Roman antiquities, and much of the artistic treasures uncovered at the archaeological sights of Pompeii, Herculaneum and the other towns destroyed by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 AD.

#2 – Museo di Capodimonte

Located in a former Royal Palace of the Bourbon dynasty, the Capodimonte Museum is home of a world-class collection of paintings and a porcelain collection highlighting the famous Capodimonte porcelain that was produced nearby.

#3 – Museo di San Martino

The Certosa di San Martino and Castel Sant’Elmo sit serenely above the chaos of Naples hurrying about below. In addition to the extraordinary vista, inside the museum at the Monastery of San Martino you can view the fine collections of works from the Renaissance and Baroque eras.

Certosa di San Martino by keepwaddling1 on Flickr.com

#4 – Museo d’Arte Comtemporanea Donnaregina (MADRE)

Opened in 2007, MADRE is Naples’ contemporary art museum, home to a fine collection of works by modern masters such as Andy Warhol, Francesco Clemente, Jeff Koons, Cindy Sherman and many more.

#5 – Museo Nazionale della Ceramica Duca di Martina

Located at the beautiful Villa Floridiana, built by Ferdinand I Bourbon for the duchess of Floridia in the early 19th century, the Museo Nazionale della Ceramica Duca di Martina showcases an impressive collection of ceramics.

Museo delle Ceramica Duca di Martina by aquila460 in Flickr.com

Tags: Art, Museum Monday, Museums, Naples, Top 5

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  1. Visiting the National Archaeological Museum in Naples | Naples | NileGuide - May 10, 2010
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