Established in the 18th century, since 1988 the museum has been located in the Villa Landolina headquarters. Dedicated to the great archaeologist Paolo Orsi, who carried out the main studies on the city, the Museum collects the most important documentation of the prehistory and protohistory of Sicily and famous works of Greek and Roman art, ceramics, marbles, architectural decorations.
The oldest finds range from the Paleolithic to the Bronze Age; the objects that bear witness to the Aegean, Anatolian and Mycenaean influences are remarkable.
The kits from the Greek-Sicilian necropolises, the ceramic material, the archaic statues are precious.
Gem of the Museum is the "Venus Anadyomene", called Venus Landolina from the name of its discoverer, a Roman-Hellenistic statue.
Other finds come from excavations of the numerous Greek colonies in Sicily, from Megara Hyblea, to Eloro, Akrai, Kasmenai, Kamarina and from numerous Hellenized indigenous centres.
Since 2010, the Numismatic room has also been open to the public; there is a rich historical documentation on the evolution of the currency, from the primitive means of exchange (axes, spearheads, pieces of bronze) to the most ancient coins dating back to the 6th century BC.
Furthermore, the Roman, Byzantine, Arab, Norman and Aragonese coinage are documented to reach the dies of the Palermo mint, before its suppression by King Ferdinand III.
The production of Syracuse never ceases to amaze which, with the engravings of the signing masters Eveneto, Cimone and Eucleidas.
Along with the coin cabinet, a rich collection of antique goldsmiths is exhibited, as well as jewels from the 17th century. XVII - XVIII belonged to Sicilian noble families.