Museo Archeologico Regionale Paolo Orsi: a visitor guide

The Paolo Orsi Museum stands at Viale Teocrito, 66, inside Villa Landolina park. The museum opened at this site on 16 January 1988, moving from its historic location in Piazza Duomo.

Its setting makes it a natural stop to combine with Neapolis archaeological sites. The Neapolis Archaeological Park guide can help you plan the wider visit, including the park’s ancient remains.

The Greek Theatre is among the nearby sites; its history and visit details are covered in this guide to Syracuse’s ancient stage.

For a broader day plan that brings Neapolis together with Ortigia, see the one-day Siracusa itinerary.

The museum arranges its collections by topographic and chronological criteria, taking you through artefacts from prehistory to Greek times. Finds come from archaeological investigations at Akrai, Tapsos, Megara Hyblaea and Pantalica, among other sites.

Early cultures feature prominently. Displays include material associated with the Neolithic Stentinello culture, dated to the 6th millennium BC, as well as Bronze Age cultures including Castelluccio, Thapsos, Pantalica and Finocchito. Carved tomb doors from Castelluccio and large containers from Thapsos and Pantalica are among the highlighted objects.

The museum identifies a bronze horse as its symbol. Finds from Syracuse necropolises, dating from the 8th to the 5th century BC, offer another way to connect the collections with the city’s ancient past. Look out, too, for the numismatic collection, which includes coins linked to the Greek colonies of Sicily.

Use the collection’s chronological and geographic arrangement to set a simple route through the galleries: begin with the earlier material, then follow the displays toward the Greek-period finds. The range of objects from different Sicilian sites helps place Siracusa’s archaeology in a wider regional context.

If you’re combining the museum with Neapolis, check the combined ticket details before setting out and allow your plan to account for both sites.

The museum’s own highlights include material from the Syracuse necropolises and coins associated with Sicily’s Greek colonies, while the collection also reaches beyond the city to sites such as Akrai and Pantalica. The Greek Theatre’s ancient stage is another nearby archaeological point of interest.

On public holidays, last entry is at 13:00.

Opening hours

• Tuesday to Saturday: 9:00–18:00
• Sunday: 9:00–13:00
• Monday: closed

Last checked November 2026. Hours can change on holidays and for special events.

Full-price admission is €10 and reduced admission is €5. The combined Neapolis Archaeological Park and museum ticket costs €18 at full price or €9 at the reduced rate. Hours and prices can change, so check the official site before you go.

You can contact the museum by telephone at +39 0931 489511 or by email at parco.archeo.siracusa@regione.sicilia.it. From the Panorama Hotel, a four-star hotel, walk about 19 minutes to the museum; the combined ticket makes Neapolis Archaeological Park a natural pairing.

What can you see at the Paolo Orsi Museum?

The collections span prehistory to Greek times and include archaeological material from Siracusa and other Sicilian sites. Highlights include the bronze horse, carved tomb doors, large containers and coins connected with Greek colonies in Sicily.

Is the museum near Neapolis Archaeological Park?

The museum can be combined with Neapolis using the combined admission ticket. The park’s archaeological remains make it a natural pairing for a visit focused on ancient Siracusa.

Is the Paolo Orsi Museum open on Mondays?

Open Tuesday to Sunday; closed Monday. No.

How much is admission?

Standard admission is €10 full price or €5 reduced. The combined museum and Neapolis ticket is €18 full price or €9 reduced.