The collection was assembled by the archaeologists Father Giuseppe Marchi and Giovanni Battista de Rossi. Marchi collected the sculptured monuments of the early Christian ages, while de Rossi the ancient Christian inscriptions; a third department of the museum consisted of copies of some of the more important catacomb frescoes. Father Marchi was appointed the director of the new institution.

The Pontifical Museum of Christian Antiquities, also known as the Vatican Museum of Christian Antiquities, is located in the Vatican City, Rome. It is one of the world's largest collections of ancient Christian objects and artifacts. The museum was founded in 1932 by Pope Pius XI and is housed in the Apostolic Palace of the Vatican. The museum houses an impressive collection of over 15,000 objects ranging from the first century to the twentieth century.

It is divided into four sections: the Greek and Roman section, the Early Christian section, the Medieval section, and the Modern section. The Greek and Roman section contains artifacts such as coins, sculptures, inscriptions, and frescoes, while the Early Christian section contains objects such as manuscripts, frescoes, and mosaics. The Medieval section contains objects such as ivories, stained glass windows, and reliquaries, while the Modern section contains objects such as paintings, sculptures, and tapestries. The museum also hosts a number of exhibitions, including the Museum of the Bible and the Museum of the Catacombs.