in 1767 there was the plan to transfer to a single museum in naples containing both the capodimonte collections and the extraordinary findings from portici. therefore in 1777 started the renovation of the building of studies at naples in order to host the royal bourbon museum. the project passed to ferdinando fuga and after his death it was continued by other architects. in 1787 ferdinand iv, successor of charles iii in 1749, regardless of the protest from vatican authorities, ordered the transfer of the famous collection of sculptures from palazzo farnese in rome to naples. this is the reason why extraordinary masterworks of the ancient art like the statues from the caracalla's baths, the farnese hercules and the marble group called farnese bull, are today still exposed in the archaeological museum of naples. in 1822 the renovation of the building was finished, and a statue of king ferdinand by canova was placed in the main staircase in order to celebrate the bourbon's power. successively, the museum collections have been enlarged thanks to finds from the vesuvian ruins.
