Municipal Archaeological Museum is housed in the Palazzo Bologna Galvani near Piazza Maggiore, built in the 15th century. In the late 19th century, it has undergone major restoration work, after which, in 1881, it was converted into a municipal museum. These were transported valuable historical artifacts, donated by the University of Bologna by various well-wishers, including individuals. Among the patrons were very famous people - for example, Pope Benedict XIV, a native of Bologna. Today, of the 18 rooms that make up the museum is dedicated to archeology 12. They contain the most ancient finds, indicating that the person lived in the vicinity of Bologna already in the Paleolithic era.

Most of these discoveries were made randomly in areas of excavation in the late 19th - early 20th centuries. A significant role in the development of archeology as a science in Italy, played a prominent scholars of the time - Giuseppe Kerichi, Luigi Pellegrini Pigorini and Strobel: they found many historic graves, which in turn has created a public interest and inspired the next generation of scientists to carry out works. In the basement of the museum since 1994. The exhibits are arranged Egyptian collection - one of the largest and most important outside Egypt. Here you can see bas-reliefs dating from 1332 BC, vases, coins, medals, funerary steles, painted wooden coffins and bronze sculptures. Particularly noteworthy are the beautiful death masks of various Egyptian pharaohs that are more than 3, 5 thousand years!

On the ground floor of the museum presents the tombstones since the Ancient Roman Empire - they date back to the mid-1st century BC - 2nd century AD On some you can see the portraits of the noble families of that era - Cornell, Allen, Furvi. Here are stored and tombstones with Greek, Christian and Coptic inscriptions. The latter were found in the vicinity of Bologna in 1894.

Constant attention of visitors of the museum collection of antiquities uses Etruscan era - 9-8 centuries BC The Etruscan tombs have been discovered terracotta and bronze funerary urns with amazing ornaments, jewelry, pottery and weapons.

Finally, we can not ignore the extensive collection of plaster casts of the world-famous Greek and Roman sculptures.