| Founded in 1960, the museum houses a collection of Paleolithic artifacts from archaeological sites of S. Croce and Albarosa: flint, bone tools, as well as burnished and painted Neolithic pottery dating from the fifth millennium BC. Some items come also from the dolmen La Chianca, which is 5 km from the city. Worthy of note are: the fossil imprint of a basket-mat, dating from the sixth millennium BC; a collection of Roman amphorae, recovered from the seabed near Salsello zone; a Roman cinerary urn dating to the first century AD from the church of Santa Margherita donated to the museum by the family Dell'Olio.
Since 1995 the museum was transferred to the monastery of Santa Croce in G. Frisari road, an ancient monastic complex that also houses the Municipal Library “P. Sarnelli” and the historical archive of Bisceglie. Built between the XVI and XVIII century, the architectural complex of Santa Croce is the result of the union of several buildings: the Church of the Annunciation, adjoining the Monastery of the Friars Minor and the Convent of Poor Clares.
In 1861 the monastery was suppressed and later sold to the City, and later was much transformed, due to the different uses, and today it provides only a partial reading. Recently, a complete and thorough restoration took away the property to deteriorate. The architectural complex currently appears on two levels, only partially covered by a stone masonry that is well integrated in the building fabric of the outbuildings. The same basic architectural lines, combined with a Renaissance style more evident, are found in the front elevation of the Church of St. Cross attached to the Monastery.
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