Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Paestum
Capaccio-Paestum (SA)
FamousMuseums
The story
Facing the temples, it holds the Tomb of the Diver: the painted slab with a youth's dive into the afterlife, the only surviving example of figurative Greek painting from the classical age.
Access
ticket (often combined with the park); free on the 1st Sunday of the month
The story
Opposite the temples, the National Archaeological Museum of Paestum holds what the excavations of the Greek, Lucanian and Roman city have yielded. Built in 1952, it was born around the archaic metopes of the Sanctuary of Hera at the mouth of the Sele; today it is one of the major 'site' museums in Italy, with special autonomy since 2015.
What to see
The piece that alone is worth the visit is the Tomb of the Diver: the slab painted with the dive of a young man towards the afterlife, the only example of Greek figurative painting of the classical age to have come down to us (fifth century BC). Beside it, the metopes of the temple of Hera at the Sele, the grave goods, the ceramics and the sculptures that tell of the long life of Poseidonia-Paestum.
How to get there
Public transport. Stazione di Paestum (linea Napoli–Salerno–Paestum), a pochi minuti a piedi. · fonte: Trenitalia
Tips
The museum is opposite the archaeological park: reckon on them together, the ticket is often integrated. Come for the Tomb of the Diver, but leave time for the metopes of the Sele. Check hours and tickets on the official site; it is reached by train (Paestum station) or by car.
Frequently asked questions
What can you see at the Museum of Paestum?
Above all the Tomb of the Diver, the only example of Greek figurative painting of the classical age; and the metopes of the Sanctuary of Hera at the mouth of the Sele, with grave goods and ceramics.
What is the Tomb of the Diver?
A painted tomb of the fifth century BC with the scene of a young man diving: the only example of Greek figurative painting of that age to have come down to us. It is the museum's icon.
Does the museum ticket also cover the park of Paestum?
Museum and park usually have an integrated ticket: it is best to check the current conditions and hours on the official site.
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