New Archaeological Museum of Stabiae Opens in Castellammare

The Museo Archeologico di Stabiae Libero D'Orsi has opened in Castellammare di Stabia, near Naples, inside the Reggia di Quisisana, the oldest Bourbon royal site. The museum is named after Libero D'Orsi (1888-1977), a school principal and archaeologist who led excavations in the 1950s that rediscovered the ancient Roman city of Stabiae and its villas. The scientific project is curated and promoted by the Parco Archeologico di Pompei. It houses frescoes, opus sectile floors, stuccoes, sculptures, terracottas, tableware, and bronze and iron objects previously displayed in the Antiquarium stabiano, which closed in 1997. The museum spans 15 exhibition rooms and 11 thematic sections, covering the Bourbon and D'Orsi excavations, from the Archaic period to the Hellenistic era, and featuring villas such as Villa San Marco, Villa del Pastore, Secondo Complesso, Villa Arianna, Villa del Petraro, and Villa di Carmiano. A bronze chariot from Villa Arianna is also exhibited. Italian Culture Minister Dario Franceschini praised the achievement, noting that the museum fulfills a decades-long project made possible by a 2019 agreement between the municipality and the Pompeii Archaeological Park. Director Massimo Osanna was commended for his work.