The Archaeological Museum "Paolo Orsi" is one of the most important archaeological museums in Europe. 

Since 1886, the treasures of ancient art discovered in eastern Sicily have been carefully collected here.  

The museum is incredibly vast, measuring 12,000 square meters or over 129,171 square feet spread across two floors. Over 9,000 meters - some 100,000 square feet - constitutes exhibition space, with more than 18,000 archaeological finds on display). It is so full of masterpieces that for an unhurried visit it is necessary to dedicate at least a full morning or afternoon.

Reopened in the spring of 2014 after a long period of reorganization (which, by November of that year was still not fully finalized), the museum is housed in a modern building designed by Franco Minissi and opened its doors in 1988. It consists of a series of interconnected hexagons that allow for continuous and flexible gallery space.  The museum also had a educational section dedicated to children.

The permanent exhibition is housed on the entrance level and ranges from prehistory to the classical age. Other areas are dedicated to temporary exhibitions. The permanent exhibition is organized into four sections (A, B, C), arranged around a central, hexagonal courtyard, along with another upstairs section (D) and a subterranean vault.

Section A is devoted to prehistory (including paleontological finds) and early history (from the Paleolithic to the Iron Age and the beginning of Greek colonization in Sicily).

Section  B is dedicated to the Greek colonization of Sicily and findings from Naxos, Milazzo, Messina, Catania, Lentini (including a splendid kouros in marble), Megara Ilbea and lastly Syracuse. 

Sharing the space dedicated to Syracuse are materials from the excavation of the necropolis, Greek temples, and civic buildings: ceramics, bronzes, statues in marble and terra cotta, bùccheri, figurines, and so on.  The wealth and beauty of the works of art is striking. One area is devoted to the reconstruction of the temples of Syracuse, including those of of Apollo and Athena, and to the conservation of parts of their structures.   

Lastly, Section C is devoted to the sub-colonies founded near Syracuse (Akrai, Kasmenai and Camarina), to the indigenous (Sicels) but Hellenized centers of eastern Sicily, and lastly to the two other major Greek colonies in the area, Gela and Agrigento. This section is full of all kinds of artifacts, such as terracotta vases, statues, polychrome pottery, weapons, pinakes (tablets) of terracotta, bronzes, bronze statuettes, sarcophagi, and even some very rare statues in wood.

Upstairs, Section D is dedicated to the Hellenistic and Roman periods, which pieces of great interest such as the Venus Landolina and the Sarcophagus of Adelphia, examples of Imperial tomb statuary, and two beautiful sculptures of Priapus and Hercules dating to the Imperial age.

In the underground vault, one finds the museum’s extraordinary collection of Greek coins and medals. The coins of the period of Syracuse’s greatest splendor are in fact authentic works of art for their exceptional finesse and elegance. Alongside this numismatic collection are some fantastic examples of jewelry that are considered among the most beautiful in the world for their artistic quality.

For security reasons, the groups visiting the vault are limited in size and are permitted only in the morning. The museum personnel are very helpful and, while queues can form to visit this section of the museum, it is well worth the wait.

In the museum’s beautiful garden, previously belonging to Villa Landolina, it is possible to see the ruins of the ancient Greek necropolis, the road system of the Hellenistic period, and pagan tombs and graves of some non-Catholic dead in Syracuse from the early 19th century, among which is  the tomb of the famous German poet August von Platen (1796-1835).

Within easy reach of the Archaeological Museum are the Catacombs of San Giovanni, the Shrine of the Madonna delle Lacrime (Our Lady of Tears), and a little further away, the Archaeological Park of Syracuse.

The Archeological Museum “Paolo Orsi” is located off the island of Ortigia, not far from the Archaeological Park of Syracuse. A route by foot is possible, but it will exceed one kilometer / 0.6 miles in distance. Those who do not have their own transportation can call a taxi from the reception desk at a special rate, or use the bicycles that both the Hotel Algilà and the Hotel Roma offer to their guests for free.  Alternately, one can take the (free) shuttle bus #20 from the nearby Piazza Archimede up to the bus station (near the train station) and then take either one of the following bus lines:  6, 8, 11, 12 or 13.  From Riva Nazario Sauro (behind the nearby Piazza delle Poste) one can choose from the following bus lines: 1, 2, 3, 4 or 12.

Visitor Information.
The Museum is located in Viale Teocrito 66 and it is open from Tuesday until Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Sunday from 9:00 to 1:00 p.m. Closed on Monday. Attention: the medal cabinet is open on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Wednesday from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and it is closed on Sunday and Monday. Tickets cost € 8, and reduced tickets cost € 4. The admission desk closes an hour before museum closing time.
Information: Tel: (++39) 0931 464022 / 3 - Fax: (++39) 0931 462 347, email: museo.orsi@tin.it.

The museum entrance is reached from the road using a path that, while on an incline, presents no stairs. The various levels are also reachable by lift.