The SNA is based on the archaeological finds collected by committed citizens such as pastor Johann Christian Reinhard Luja and Christian Friedrich Habel and in particular the collection of Johann Isaak von Gerning, who - also on the special initiative of Goethe - left a large part of his antiquities, paintings, natural objects and books to the Nassau state.

In 1812, they decided to found an antiquities society and set up a museum. The Erbprinzenpalais in Wilhelmstraße was an ideal location for this, and rooms were made available to the association in 1822. An inventory presented in February 1824 included 230 items. The official opening of the museum took place on 01.04.1825. The collection was separated from the association in 1894, but the association still feels responsible for the Nassau Antiquities Collection to this day in accordance with its statutes.

In 1899/1900, the city of Wiesbaden took over responsibility for the collections housed in the Erbprinzenpalais. The Picture Gallery, the Nassau Antiquities Collection and the Natural History Collections were housed in the Museum Wiesbaden, which was newly built in 1913-15. When the state of Hesse became the new sponsor of the museum on January 1, 1973, the Nassau Antiquities Collection lost its independence and became a department of the Museum Wiesbaden. In spring 2010, the Nassau Antiquities Collection was returned to municipal sponsorship in order to present it in a future city museum; the Stadtmuseum am Markt (SAM) was opened in September 2016 in the Marktkeller.

The Nassau Antiquities Collection includes archaeological finds, paintings and prints, arts and crafts objects, important numismatic collections, sculptures and militaria. In terms of time, the collection spans an epoch from 200,000 years BC to contemporary history; in terms of space, it primarily relates to the Nassau region and thus represents the region's material cultural and historical heritage.