With over 12,000 archaeological objects, paintings, sculptures, and objets d'art, and comprising both ancient and modern artefacts, it was a rich, diverse collection of the highest quality.

After a high-profile trial in which Campana was convicted of embezzlement in 1857, the collection was seized and sold by the Papal States. The sensation sparked by its subsequent dispersal throughout Europe was testament to its importance in the Italian and European cultural consciousness. A significant part of the Campana collection was purchased in 1861 by Tsar Alexander II, enriching the collections of the State Hermitage Museum. The rest of the collection-over 10,000 works-was purchased by Napoleon III and shared between the Musée du Louvre and various regional museums.