The MARQ (Museo Arqueológico Provincial de Alicante) is one of the best regional archaeology museums in Spain. The permanent collection covers human settlement in the province from the Palaeolithic through to the medieval Moorish period, with particular strength in Iberian and Roman material. The presentation is unusually engaging: rather than rows of pots in cases, the museum uses theatrical lighting, reconstructed settings, and audiovisual displays to bring the objects to life.
The standout section covers the Iberian culture of southeastern Spain — a sophisticated pre-Roman civilisation that is still poorly understood. The Roman material from the nearby site of Lucentum (ancient Alicante) is also impressive. Temporary exhibitions have covered everything from Egyptian mummies to underwater archaeology. The museum is in the city's neoclassical Palacio de la Diputación; the Lucentum site itself, a short drive away at Tossal de Manises, is open separately and worth combining with a visit.