Opened in 1981 inside the premises of the restored Palazzo Panichi, the Museum offers an overview on some findings coming from the area of Ascoli Piceno and dating back from the Palaeolithic to the Roman age. The centrepieces of the Museum are the finds belonged to the sumptuous civic collection of Ascoli Piceno, but during the years the exhibition was enriched by more recent excavations, some of which were just made in the subsoil of the city.

The Museum is spread over three floors, respectively dedicated to the Prehistory, the Picentes and the Roman age. However, the main core of the exhibition is centered around the Picentes. The female holsters from the Salino area, the engraved parure from Monteprandone and the orientalising artifacts worth mentioning. Then, the collection of over five thousand missile-like acorns and projectiles with inscriptions -most of them for offensive purposes-, which provide evidence of the Picentes resistance to the romanisation of their territory, is impressive.

For what concerning the Roman age, several finds and epigraphes illustrating some aspects of their public, religious and private life at those times worth highlighting. The gorgeous mosaic with two-faced herm from the Palace of Justice and the portrait of Trajan stand out for their importance.

For visiting times and other information, please see the website of the National Archaeological Museum of Ascoli Piceno.