The Antiquarium houses a fine selection of objects discovered in Herculaneum thanks to archaeological explorations carried out throughout the 20th century, starting with the excavations led by Amedeo Maiuri. Many of the selected artifacts were previously displayed in both national and international exhibitions, but it wasn’t until December 2018 that they were gathered in a permanent exhibition within the Park’s buildings. Here, visitors can view up close sculptures and frescoes from both public and private buildings of the ancient city, such as the statue of Marcus Nonius Balbus, the bronze sculpture of the Lernaean Hydra, the marble sculptures from the garden of the House of the Deer, and frescoes from the Villa of the Papyri. Additionally, a wide variety of objects related to different aspects of daily life in ancient Herculaneum are displayed, and one room is dedicated to the artifacts found alongside the skeletons of the fugitives in the vaults of the ancient beach.

The Pavilion displays the carbonized remains of the boat discovered in the 1980s during the excavations of the ancient beach, not far from the vaults where, in those same years, the remains of residents seeking to escape the eruption were found. The boat, over 9 meters long, was likely a military vessel attempting to reach Herculaneum to provide aid to its inhabitants. Alongside the remains of the boat, numerous objects related to maritime activities in Herculaneum, such as fishing and seafaring trade, are also on display.