Set between the Valley of the Temples and the modern city of Agrigento this is one of the best archaeological museums in Sicily with artefacts dating from the C7th BC, the late copper/early bronze age to the end of the Greek-Roman period.
The museum is next to the C13th Church of St Nicolas, with the main entrance off the cloisters.
Constructed in 1960, the museum is a huge building with rooms off a central peristyle with extra galleries around the first floor level. There are large display boards with information in Italian and some English. Items are labelled, usually in both Italian and English.
Most of the exhibits are pottery from the C6th/5thBC which are covered with beautiful painted designs. There are small statues and votive offerings of birds. There is a wonderful terracotta drain pipe cover in the shape of a human face. There is a display of amphorae found buried in the silt of the harbour.
There are fewer artefacts from the Roman period. Small artefacts include oil lamps and some jewellery There are pieces of carved masonry as well as two large sarcophagi.
The peristyle was being reorganised when I visited and contained artefacts from the Temple of Jupiter including a massive reconstructed statue (telemon).
This is a fascinating museum and the pottery is beautiful. There is almost too much to take in during one visit. There are more pictures “here.”:http://wasleys.org.uk/eleanor/otherholidays/sicily/day_two/two_three/index.html
