The Antonino Salinas Regional Archaeological Museum is Palermo‘s main archaeology museum, housed in a 17th-century former convent on Piazza Olivella. This guide covers opening hours, ticket prices, transport and parking, accessibility, and practical tips for planning your visit.
This guide was updated in August 2026. The museum’s ticketing partner currently lists the full-price ticket at €7.00 with a €3.50 reduced rate. These figures are lower than the €8.00 and €4.00 still shown on several other listings, including the city’s own tourism page.
Quick facts
| Opening hours | Tue–Sat 9:00–18:00. Sun and holidays 9:00–13:30. Closed Mondays (except 14 August) |
| Ticket prices | Full €7.00, reduced €3.50. Online booking adds a small fee |
| Address | Piazza Olivella 24, 90133 Palermo, Sicily, Italy |
| Nearest transport | Bus 101 from Palermo Centrale to the Roma-Poste stop; a few minutes’ walk from Teatro Massimo |
| Typical visit length | About 1 to 1.5 hours |
The Antonino Salinas Regional Archaeological Museum opening hours
The museum’s opening hours run Tuesday to Saturday, 9:00 to 18:00. Last admission is 30 minutes before closing.
On Sundays and public holidays, it opens 9:00 to 13:30. The museum is closed on Mondays, with one exception: it opens on 14 August and closes instead on 16 August.
5 top experiences to book in Palermo
- 🏛️ Palermo’s World Heritage sites – Discover the stories behind Palermo’s World Heritage sites on a three hour walking tour.
- 🍝 Authentic Sicilian street food – Taste authentic Sicilian street food on a small group food tour.
- ⛵ Half day luxury boat tour – Take a half day luxury boat tour with snorkelling and sea caves.
- ⚖️ Palermo’s anti-Mafia culture – Discover Palermo’s anti-Mafia culture on a No Mafia walking tour.
- 🎬 The origins of the Godfather – On a day trip to Corleone, learn about the origins of the Godfather.
The Antonino Salinas Regional Archaeological Museum ticket prices
As with most archaeological museums, such as the National Archaeological Museum in Naples and the Heraklion Archaeological Museum on Crete, there is an entry fee here.
A full-price ticket costs €7.00 and a reduced ticket costs €3.50. Booking online adds a small fee, bringing the full-price ticket to €8.00.
Reduced tickets apply to visitors aged 18 to 25 from the EU. They also apply to non-EU nationals aged 18 to 25 with a valid residence permit.
Free admission applies to under-18s of all nationalities, teachers, tour guides and interpreters, and disabled visitors with one companion. It also covers students of art, architecture or cultural heritage, journalists, and ICOM or ICCOM members. Admission is free for everyone on 10 March, for Sicily’s Cultural Heritage Day, and on the first Sunday of every month.
The museum is included in the Palermo Culture Pass, a 7-day ticket covering four sites: the Salinas Museum, the Botanical Garden, Steri Palace, and the Riso Museum. It costs €25.60 online. A separate 2-day combined ticket with the Botanical Garden alone costs €13.00.
Opening hours and ticket prices were checked on the official website and the museum’s ticketing partner, and last updated in August 2026.
How to get to the Antonino Salinas Regional Archaeological Museum
The museum is in Piazza Olivella, in the historic centre of Palermo, a few minutes’ walk from Teatro Massimo. From Palermo Centrale railway station, take bus 101 to the Roma-Poste stop, then walk a short distance to the museum.
Bus 102 or 103 from Notarbartolo station stops at Cavour, also within walking distance. The Quattro Canti crossroads is about 10 to 15 minutes away on foot, and the Vucciria market is a similar distance.
Parking at the Antonino Salinas Regional Archaeological Museum
There is no dedicated museum car park. The surrounding Olivella and Vucciria district has narrow streets with limited on-street parking.
Driving into Palermo’s historic centre is generally discouraged, since much of it falls within a restricted traffic zone. Public transport or walking is the more practical option.
How long to spend at the Antonino Salinas Regional Archaeological Museum
Most visitors need about 1 to 1.5 hours to see the ground-floor and upper-floor galleries. Parts of the museum are sometimes closed for restoration, which can shorten a visit.
Allow extra time if you plan to visit the on-site Salinas Concept Store or consult the library.
Accessibility at the Antonino Salinas Regional Archaeological Museum
The museum is wheelchair accessible, with a stairlift and an accessible toilet. Disabled parking is provided nearby.
It is also listed as accessible for visually impaired visitors. It is worth confirming current provisions by phone before visiting, since access arrangements can change during restoration work.
Inside the Antonino Salinas Regional Archaeological Museum: what to see
The collection spans Sicilian history from Prehistory to the Middle Ages, arranged around two courtyards and across two upper floors.
Highlights include the Palermo Stone, a hieroglyphic inscription dated to around 2900 BC, and the metopes from the Greek temples of Selinunte, on display for over 150 years.
Other notable pieces include lion-head water spouts, Etruscan finds from Chiusi, a bronze Ram statue from the 3rd century BC, and a Roman bronze group depicting Hercules slaying a deer, found at Pompeii.
The building itself, a former 17th-century convent, features a Renaissance courtyard with a Triton fountain and a restored 17th-century loggia with a majolica floor.
Practical visitor tips
| Tip |
|---|
| Visit the ground floor first if upper galleries are closed for restoration, since displays can vary by season. |
| Check opening times before visiting, since several other guides list different Sunday and evening hours. |
| Combine your visit with a walk to nearby Teatro Massimo or the Vucciria market, both a few minutes away. |
| The library is open only on set weekday mornings, so plan ahead if you want to consult it. |
| Bring a downloadable audioguide in advance, since a paid app version is available for the collection. |
Frequently asked questions about the Antonino Salinas Regional Archaeological Museum
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Is the museum suitable for children? | Yes, though the collection appeals more to older children and adults interested in archaeology. |
| Do you need to book tickets in advance? | Booking online is optional but recommended in peak season. |
| Is the museum open on Sundays? | Yes, from 9:00 to 13:30, earlier than the weekday closing time. |
| Are bags allowed inside the museum? | Small bags are generally allowed; large items may need to be left at the entrance. |
| Is the museum wheelchair accessible? | Yes, it provides wheelchair access, an accessible toilet, and a stairlift. |
Things to do near the Antonino Salinas Regional Archaeological Museum
Teatro Massimo, Italy’s largest opera house, is a few minutes’ walk from the museum. The Vucciria market, one of Palermo’s historic street markets, is a short walk to the south.
Quattro Canti, the ornate baroque crossroads at the heart of the old city, is about 10 to 15 minutes away on foot. The Church of San Domenico, known for its baroque facade, stands close to the Vucciria district.
Palermo Cathedral is a longer walk, around 20 minutes, but is easily combined with a visit to the nearby Royal Palace.
Alternative attractions
Segesta Archaeological Park, about an hour’s drive west, preserves a well-known Doric temple and an ancient theatre. Solunto Archaeological Park, roughly 30 minutes east along the coast, holds the remains of a Hellenistic-Roman town and its own antiquarium.
Himera Archaeological Park and Antiquarium, about an hour east, marks the site of a major ancient Greek battle and temple. Selinunte Archaeological Park, around 1.5 hours south, is one of the largest archaeological areas in Europe, including the temples that produced the museum’s metopes.
The Archaeological Museum and Valley of the Temples in Agrigento, about 2 hours south, display extensive Greek temple remains alongside their own regional collection.
More Sicily travel
Other Sicily travel guides on Planet Whitley include:
- Plan your visit to the Palermo Botanic Gardens.
- Practical guide to visiting the Norman Palace in Palermo, with times, prices & visitor tips.
- See the monster statues at Villa Palagonia in Bagheri near Palermo.
- What to expect at Palazzo Conte Federico in Palermo.
- Guide to using the Funivia dell’Etna cable car on Mt Etna’s southern flank.
- Plan your visit to the Ancient Theatre of Taormina in Sicily.
