The Villa was built in 1785 by Don Carlo Acquaviva, Duke of Atri,on the site of a farm called “dell’arbusto” (“arbusto” means “ shrub”). In 1952 it was purchased by the publisher and movie producer Angelo Rizzoli who sponsored the reconstruction of the ancient thermal bath, the construction of some big hotels and the restoration of Piazza Restituta in the town centre of Lacco Ameno. Villa Arbusto is not only the seat of the Pithecusae Museum, but has a splendid garden, open to the public.
* The Pithecusae Archaeological Museum In the Museum there are many archaeological findings dating back from the Prehistory to the Romans Age. On the ground floor there is the a Geological section , which shows how the presence of the volcano affected life on the island. Some findings made of clay and stone dating to the Neolithic, have been retrieved at Cilento, nearby the Ischia cemetery; a village dating back from the middle Bronze Age to the Iron Age has been discovered on the hill of Castiglione, in Casamicciola. In the museum are also exposed series of funerary objects from the Necropolis located at San Montano bay, used as burial place for about 1000 years,
* A.Rizzoli Museum The Angelo Rizzoli Museum is located in Villa Arbusto and collects a picture gallery about Angelo Rizzoli’s stay on the island of Ischia. He was used to stay in Lacco Ameno where he promoted the restructuring of the ancient Santa Restituta baths and sponsored the construction of a series of big luxury hotels which became since then the much loved destination for cinema stars and international jet-set in 50's and 60's
*Public Gardens