The National Archaeological Museum of Cerveteri occupies the ground floor of the Castello Ruspoli in the town's medieval centre, just a short walk from the main piazza. It holds the finds that stayed in Cerveteri after the great 19th-century excavations — pottery, jewellery, bronze objects, terracotta figurines — organised chronologically and giving a good introduction to Etruscan culture before the much larger collections in Rome's Villa Giulia or the Vatican Museums.
The collection is not the equal of what left for Rome, but it is displayed well, with clear explanations in Italian and English. A visit here before going to the necropolis helps you understand what the stripped tombs once contained. The castle itself is interesting architecturally — a solid medieval structure with a fine courtyard. The museum is small enough to cover in an hour.