Visitor guide · This is not the official website of the Herculaneum archaeological park

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What to See at Herculaneum: Highlights and What Is Closed

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The grassy palaestra beside the Central Baths at Herculaneum

Herculaneum is a compact town, so you can see its main sights in one visit. The official site does not publish which houses are open, because they rotate, so ask at the entrance for the current list. Here is what the official pages confirm.

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The boathouses and the ancient beach

The arched boathouses (fornici) line the ancient shore. About 300 skeletons were found in nine of the twelve in 1980, together with jewellery, coins, keys, amulets and a surgical kit. The ancient beach has been open to walk on since June 2024. Read more in our boathouses article.

Baths, palaestra and public buildings

Houses

Houses open in rotation. Recent news mentions the Casa del Mobilio Carbonizzato, reopened in July 2026 after almost 30 years, following the Casa del Colonnato Tuscanico and the Casa del Sacello di Legno in 2025. The Casa dei Cervi, a large two-storey house, was among the houses opened in 2018, but we could not confirm its current status. The Casa di Nettuno e Anfitrite is known for its glass-paste mosaic with a nymphaeum, again with an unconfirmed opening status. Ask at the entrance.

Museums and gardens

The Suburban Baths

The park calls them one of the best-preserved bath buildings of the Roman world. They are not on the regular route: you can only visit them on guided tours of the restoration site on selected Saturdays. Check the official site for dates and the ticket.

What is closed now

The Villa dei Papiri (home to a library of more than 1,800 carbonised papyrus scrolls) and the ancient theatre are closed for works, with no reopening date. See tickets and visit tips to plan your visit.

What are the must-see places at Herculaneum?

The boathouses on the ancient beach, the central baths, the Collegio degli Augustali, the Decumanus Maximus and the houses that are open on the day.

Which houses are open?

Houses open in rotation and the official site does not publish a list, so check at the entrance on the day.

Is the Villa dei Papiri open?

No, it is closed for works with no reopening date.

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