The Museum of Cherchell, a jewel of the Algerian heritage, is listed on the list of protected national properties in 1981. It was given the status of a national museum pursuant to Executive Decree No. 09-400 of 12 Dhou el Hidja 1430 corresponding to 29 November 2009.  The archaeological ruins of Cherchell constitute a valuable heritage. The collections, currently housed in the national museum, also known as the "old museum", are among the most prestigious collections in the Maghreb. With the arrival of the French in 1840 and the construction of the colonial city many objects were discovered and their management was anarchic. During the year 1844, the objects discovered during the numerous excavations at Cherchell were stored in a small mosque belonging to the Berkani family. After the destruction of this building during an earthquake in 1846, these objects were transferred to an open gallery in the courtyard of a Moorish-style house occupied by the administrative services.     In 1853, the municipality decided to destroy the premises and the collections were transferred to another premises located on the street Abdelhak, ex Caesarea. Several invaluable pieces are transported to the Louvre Museum in Paris and the Algiers Museum of Antiquities. In 1855, objects were stored in a hotel. Given the importance of the discoveries, the Governor General of Algeria decided to endow the town of Cherchell with a real museum. It was in 1908 that the present museum opened its doors to the public. It is built in a Moorish architecture style consisting of four galleries closed by bay windows opening onto a patio. It has a rich collection of mosaics and ancient sculpture, funerary stelae and architectural elements, considered among the most prestigious of the Maghreb.       The bellombras of the plaza and the facade of the museum in the background.   In AD 25, Caesarea has known an important event that will propel it among the great cities of the Mediterranean. Indeed, the advent of Juba II not only made of Caesarea a showcase city that would seduce the indigenous tribes but also compete with the other great cities. Throughout his reign, which lasted about fifty years, Juba II was able to impel to the city a great architectural, artistic, cultural and economic dynamics.