The Cyprus Archaeological Museum houses artifacts discovered during excavations on Cyprus. It contains the world's most extensive collection of Cypriot antiquities. While only items found on Cyprus are displayed, many artifacts were also illegally excavated and smuggled off the island in the past by collectors. The museum remains the primary collection of Cypriot artifacts before independence in 1960, though some pieces have been decentralized to local museums. However, the collection has outgrown the museum's space, so relocation to a larger new site or creation of a new museum has been discussed.