Archaeological Museum Cremona was opened in 2009 in the building of the church of San Lorenzo and the adjacent chapel Meli 15th century. This independent museum grew out of the archaeological collection of the city museum, part of which is still exhibited in the Palazzo Affaytati.

Church of San Lorenzo, secularized in the late 18th century, belonged to the Benedictine Order, and later - Olivetans. It has a three-nave structure and dates from the early 13th century. In its architecture visible characteristic elements of the Romanesque style - the vast spaces and the typical decor of arches of the apse. In the course of archaeological excavations carried out in 1962, it was discovered the ruins of an older church, probably the one in question in parchment late 10th century and early Christian cemetery and the Roman necropolis of the 1st century BC .

The decision to convert the church of San Lorenzo in the museum complex resulted in the carrying out of large-scale restoration work, which affected both the structure of the building and its furniture. Today it is kept the "core" of the archaeological collection Cremona - artifacts found from the 19th century until the present day (Piazza Marconi), which allow to get an idea of ​​the city founded by the Romans in the year 218 BC, one first to the north of the river Po. Just museum displays about 500 exhibits presented in three sections - the fragments of public buildings (including the theater on Via Cesare Battisti), the remains of houses Domus del maze and Domus del Ninfeo, richly decorated with mosaic floors, antique wall paintings, artifacts necropolis (tombstone depicting family members Arruntii, funerary urns and ceramics, bronze and glass).