On arriving back at the Naples train station, we reversed our course from earlier in the day and boarded the Metro headed back toward Piazza Dante and our hotel. But finding ourselves somewhat recharged from lunch and the relative inactivity of the train ride, we decided to visit the National Archeological Museum (Museo Archeologico Nazionale), found next to the Museo Metro stop. Again we showed our ArteCards, thereby using up the last of the free admissions to which we were entitled, and we started wandering around.

The National Archeological Museum has an extensive collection of artifacts found throughout Italy, though there is probably a particular focus on pieces found in Pompeii and Herculaneum (mostly mosaics and frescoes). The museum provides the dual services of making the artifacts more easily accessible and of protecting the ones found outdoors from the elements and from feral creatures (mainly the human ones). In many cases, reproductions are displayed in the places the artifacts came from. Here is a sampling of the things we found on display:

First, some sculptures –

A Bas-Relief Med   Lrg	Woman with Instrument Med   Lrg
Bust of River God Med   Lrg	Nella with Busts Med   Lrg
Woman Holding Flowers Med   Lrg	Man Holding Ashtray Med   Lrg
The Farnese Hercules Med   Lrg	The Farnese Bull Med   Lrg
Large Guy with Cloak Med   Lrg	Woman with Animals on Her Head Med   Lrg

Mosaics, mostly from Pompeii –

Fighting Chickens Med   Lrg	Musicians Med   Lrg
Complaining Women Med   Lrg	Rehearsal of a Satirical Play Med   Lrg
Marine Animals Med   Lrg	Portrait of a Pompeiian Woman Med   Lrg
Ducks Med   Lrg	Cat with Birds and Fish Med   Lrg
Dionysus as a Boy Med   Lrg	The Battle of Alexander Med   Lrg

Frescoes, mainly found inside houses in Pompeii and Herculaneum –

Couple with Cherubs Med   Lrg	Portrait of Couple Med   Lrg
Portraits, etc. Med   Lrg	Misc. Scenes Med   Lrg
Portraits Med   Lrg	Woman on Bull with Friends Med   Lrg

And a few other objects –

Fortuna, Pompeii Med   Lrg	Blue Vase, Pompeii Med   Lrg
Egyptian Statue of Isis Med   Lrg	Tablet with Hieroglyphics Med   Lrg

There was also a large scale model of Pompeii that was created in the 19th Century. It hasn’t changed much since then.

Scale Model Med   Lrg	Model Overview Med   Lrg
Model with Forum Med   Lrg	Porta Marina Area MP4-Sml   MP4-Med   WMV-HD

Around the middle of the building there was an immense room, called the Meridian Room. Its construction was started early in the 17th Century, but it was repaired and renovated and updated until well into the 20th Century. It was once used as a library, but the books have been moved. It is undoubtedly used for a variety of purposes now.

Philip in Meridian Room Med   Lrg	Ceiling Fresco Med   Lrg
Corner of Room Med   Lrg	Nella in Meridian Room MP4-Sml   MP4-Med   WMV-HD

To exit the museum, we needed to pass through a courtyard with some more sculpture. In one of the side rooms, a woman was singing (rather well) in front of an audience seated in stackable chairs.

On another side of the courtyard we found a collection of elaborate sarcophagi.

Sarcophagus Med   Lrg

Sarcophagi MP4-Sml   MP4-Med   WMV-HD

The museum was actually within walking distance of our hotel, being one Metro stop before Piazza Dante, so we walked back to the hotel and didn’t move much for many hours.