The museum was established in 1790 and moved to its current location, the ex-Convento di San Domenico in 1962.  It contains a fine collection of prehistoric, Etruscan, Umbrian and Roman artifacts from Perugia and the surrounding region.

Large Cloister, Lower Level

This black and white mosaic with a geometric design is on the north wall.  It was excavated in 1918 from a Roman house in Via Fani (see Walk VI).

Inscription to the Emperor Caracalla (198 AD)

The inscribed altar on the east wall was discovered near Perugia and was used in some capacity in Santa Maria degli Aratri (see Walk II) until this church was demolished in 1874.  It commemorates the Emperor Marcus Aurelius Severus Antoninus Augustus, who was known as Caracalla in reference to the Gallic hooded tunic he usually wore.  It is dated to his second period as Tribune, when his father was in fact the emperor: Caracalla did not succeed him until 211 AD.  The inscription sets out his genealogy and notes that the Decurioni (magistrates of the municipium) erected it.

Inscriptions Relating to Augusta Perusia (1st century AD)

The four Latin inscriptions on the south wall were found near Porta Sant' Angelo (see Walk V)  in the 16th century.  They commemorate the rebuilding of the city by the Emperor Augustus after he had destroyed its predecessor in the Perugian War (40 BC).  They all bear the inscription "Augusto Sacr(um) Perusia restituta" (dedicated to Augustus by the restored city of Perugia).

Via Thorrena Inscription (1st century BC)

This inscription is exhibited to the left of the entrance to the museum.  See the page on the Via Thorrena inscription for details.

Having walked around three sides of the cloister, take the steps in the south west corner to the ticket office in the upper level of the large cloister.  The museum extends around it and then continues past the upper level of the small cloister into the loft of San Domenico Vecchio and then into other buildings at the south east corner of the ex-convent.

A door on the fourth side of the lower level of the large cloister leads down to the reconstruction of the Ipogeo dei Cai Catu.  However, you need to buy your ticket before you can go down to see it, so it is most conveniently left until the end of your visit.