paolo orsi archaeological museum (museo archeologico paolo orsi)

TriciaH810

This museum, as previous reviewers record is above average and well worth a visit.However, I would advise ONLY going if you like and appreciate archaeology, geology or art in antiquity. There are some stunning exhibits from earliest times on Sicily (esp. Siracusa district) varying from spear blades to almost perfect funereal pots and other burial artefacts.We saw pot designs and shapes we had never seen before and some of the decoration on artefacts was particularly fine. The descriptions are generally good both in English and in Italian but occasionally the English translations are missing! It is not difficult to find your way around if you follow the green arrows.

hotthemoople

Beautifully displayed items of immense historical interest, well explained. Not the easiest of places to find one's way around thanks to some eccentric signage.As almost always in Italy, there was no helpful literature, no brochures at the front desk, no maps.

OnlyEveryFiveYears

If you know what you are looking at, there is a lot of stuff here. It is arranged largely by where they found it, so you seem to move from one area to another where there are largely the same kinds of things. But the more you know about the local archaeology, the more you will find the actual items interesting. There is some information about the items in English but most is in Italian. There is also no guidebook to buy, which is a big disadvantage because you are then completely dependent on the information boards, which are then limited. The whole place has a rather tired feel about it, kind of running on autopilot... Everything looked a bit grubby and untended. But it was low season, I suppose...

Macdonald1955

Particularly rich experience having already spent a week in the area thus familiar with locations referred to in the incredibly rich and comprehensive display; well presented with chronological overview followed by focus on different locations. Superb...

TMAC63

Really enjoyed the museum . Unlike many others I have visited there were lots of English translations . You can spend hours there without seeing it all. Don't visit Syracuse without visiting it.

KilimPashtu

On a Sunday, in January, the museum says it is open... but it is closed. No explanation. You get a shrug when you ask ... As it is posted as closed on Mondays, there goes our long-awaited visit.The same goes for the Archimedes museum in Ortigia. Very disappointing, and the nagging feeling that frankly, no one cares!

pilarplmn

Quite large with lots to see. We only visited two of the five rooms. Well organized with tons of archeological finds from different areas and times. What was truly amazing was the amount of objects from very small to fairly large, which are intact! Others are quite complete after restoration work. I don't give it a five star because of the lack of cafeteria or similar place to take a break if you really want to see all of it.

air72

It is a pity that with all the artifacts they have in this museum they don't even have a map to help you navigate your way around it. The museum is nice but it was cold, they had no guides, no map, and even most of the explanatory signs were in English. Make sure you are well informed before you go because at the museum you will find no information whatsoever. Truly a pity.

Andreas777

make sure you purchase your ticket first (on the opposite side of the park). The Greek theater is impressive. the other area is not well maintained. There is an APP offered to share more information. Weak internet signal in the area and very complicated download/install/sign-up procedure.

Australia-Irene

This is the most complete museum, with two floor, the ground floor with 3 section, A,B and C and the upper floor the section D.I was surpraise they let us take potos, every section has a unique colection, My time was very good an well spend.

835danab

I think it would be no exaggeration to say this is one of the best archaeological museums in Italy and in the world. It has lots of very valuable exhibits, from pre-historic, to Greek and Roman times. There is a special section dedicated to coins. There are lots of jars and amphorae, statues and sarcophagi from those times. Highly recommended, and one could purchase a combined ticket with the Archaeological Park.

awithj

I thought it would be another Greco Roman exhibit. It was excellent. The highlights were the upstairs and coin exhibit

jcgeek

This museum, my wife and I agree, is the only reason to leave the island of Ortygia while in Syracuse. We walked, and got lost twice trying to find our way via a map and local resident directions. A security guard at the museum just shook his head at two tourists who had walked there, and were walking back. The museum is one of the best of its type we have ever visited in all of Europe and the US, with amazing displays well-labeled, even for English-only speakers We spent hours here, and did not see everything -- we were too tired from the trek to get here to stay longer. Also, nothing to speak of as far as food in the area until you're almost back at Ortygia.

BobxxxxCindy

One of the better antiquity museums I have been to. It seems that Sicily was peopled by multitudes of different groups most of whom have their own areas for pottery, statuary and architecture in the museum. Some incredible pottery that was recovered intact as well as a vault room full of ancient coins and jewelry accompanied by descriptions of their discoveries is also there. Most of the displays include English translations.

Macman1940

The museum, named for Paolo Orsi, the archaeologist responsible for many of the early 20th century excavations in Sicily, contains an interesting collection of artifacts arranged to take you from the prehistoric eras through the Greek colonization onward. It is definitely worth a visit, especially after visiting some of the archaeological sites around Syracuse.