Like many museums, the National Archaeological Museum in Naples seems a bit overwhelming when you start looking at the map.I triage museums. I go to the thing I most want to see first. Very first. That way I know I will at least be satisfied when I leave, even if I decide to skip a bunch of exhibits, or the museum comes alive and I must escape as quickly as possible (love that movie). I’m not one of those people who build up to what they want to see by going to a bunch of things they aren’t interested in…that just makes me angsty and rush through things that I’d otherwise probably find fascinating!So we headed to the Pompeii collections, particularly the mosaics.
<
So cool! I’m always incredibly amazed by the mosaics. Actually, I think “that would be so cool to have in my house” and then I realize how much it would cost to have a huge mosaic done now. Seriously. Think how much it costs just to have tile laid in a bathroom!?We also spent a lot of time looking at the Villa dei Papiri (Herculaneum) and Temple of Isis (Pompeii), which have had many key artifacts removed and sent to museums. It’s incredible to think there is paper–not just a little, but 1800 scrolls–dating before AD 79 (when Vesuvius erupted).The museum is actually not as overwhelming as first anticipated, though some key exhibits were closed and we skipped the Egypt collection as we had relatively recently been to Egypt. I definitely got statued out after a while (so many statuesss…)…but it was easy to wander through at your own pace. And the place was empty. I’m telling you, late March is a wonderful time to go to Naples and Pompeii.Many say to do it after Pompeii and Herculaneum, but it just fit our schedule better to go before. I personally didn’t mind it that way…it was nice to see some of the most famous murals and mosaics before we went to the archaeological sites. I say don’t miss the museum, but I really don’t think the order in which you visit it matters!
