The Archaeological Museum at Old Goa is housed in the former convent of St. Francis of Assisi, beside the church of the same name. Established by the ASI in 1964, it preserves material from Goa’s colonial and pre colonial history with emphasis on Portuguese rule and Christian art. Its eight galleries and central hall present a continuous record from the 3rd century BCE to the late Portuguese period, illustrating transformations in politics, faith, and cultural expression.

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The museum exhibits sculptures, paintings, inscriptions, coins, and religious objects. Distinctive displays include portraits of Portuguese viceroys, bronze statues of Christian saints, and carved wooden panels from regional churches. A statue of Luis Vaz de Camoes and a large bronze of Afonso de Albuquerque stand among its major highlights. Earlier Hindu sculptures of Surya, Vishnu, and Shiva demonstrate the region’s enduring diversity. The museum also interprets Goa’s shift from a Hindu kingdom to a Portuguese colony and its connections to maritime trade and missionary activity.