'There's something strange that happens at night': Museum calls in ghost hunters after spooked builders down tools

By Damien Gayle

Last updated at 4:51 PM on 23rd August 2011
 

An Italian museum has called in ghost hunters after workers carrying out overnight renovations downed tools claiming the building was haunted.

Builders say they have heard chilling screams, felt temperatures suddenly plunge and even seen ghosts while working at the National Archaeological Museum in Naples, Italy.

One of the men said: 'There is something strange that happens at nights in this museum. Objects inside get mysteriously moved or vanish, and there are the apparitions as well.'

Spooky: The National Archaeological Museum in Naples, where workman have downed tools after claiming to have been haunted

The architect responsible for works, Oreste Albareno, tried to reassure the men by spending a night with them but ended up also being convinced the museum was haunted, Italian daily Il Mattino reports.

Mr Albareno told the paper that he had managed to take a photo of what he believed to be a ghost on his mobile phone. 'It shows a little girl but there was no little girl on the site,' he said.

'None of the staff took a daughter with them - it is a secure locked site so there was no way the child could have sneaked in.'

Fact or fiction? Poster for the Ben Stiller film Night At The Museum

Museum director Valeria Sampaolo said she had called in the ghost hunters to solve the mystery and get the building works back on track.

The case has been likened to the the film Nights In the Museum, where the exhibits come to life at night after the museum closes because of the power of an ancient relic displayed on the premises.

The National Archaeological Museum's collection includes artifacts from the Greek, Roman and Renaissance.

Ms Sampaolo added: 'I don't know what is causing what the builder's claim they have seen and we do have many ancient artefacts with mysterious backgrounds but at the end of the day I want it to stop.

'I want people to talk about our museum because of the exhibits and not the ghosts.'

Paranormal experts are due to arrive at the museum in September to investigate the claims.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2029264/Theres-strange-happens-night-Builders-halt-renovation-job-night-terrors-haunted-museum.html#ixzz1Vzu6PqDQ