The Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Reggio Calabria (National Archaeological Museum of Reggio Calabria) is a museum located in Reggio Calabria, Italy. It is one of the most important archaeological museums in Italy and is renowned for its collection of ancient Greek art.
The museum was founded in 1882, but it was destroyed by the 1908 Messina earthquake. It was rebuilt and reopened in 1932 in a new location, where it still stands today. The museum's collection includes artifacts from prehistoric times to the Roman period, with a particular focus on the Magna Graecia (Greater Greece) period, which saw Greek colonization of Southern Italy.
One of the museum's most notable exhibits is the Riace bronzes, two bronze statues of Greek warriors dating back to the 5th century BCE. These were discovered by a scuba diver off the coast of Riace in 1972 and are considered among the finest examples of Greek bronze sculpture in existence.
Other highlights of the museum include a large collection of ancient coins, pottery, and jewelry, as well as a reconstruction of a prehistoric village and displays on the history of the region. The museum also has a library containing over 15,000 volumes, with a focus on archaeology and ancient history.
The Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Reggio Calabria is considered an important cultural institution in Italy and attracts thousands of visitors each year. Its collection is also significant for scholars studying ancient Greek art and culture.