  The DAMA/NaI experiment (about 100 kg highly radiopure NaI(Tl)) was proposed,
designed and realised to effectively investigate in a model independent way the
presence of a Dark Matter particle component in the galactic halo by exploiting
the annual modulation signature. With a total exposure of 107731 kg day,
collected over seven annual cycles deep underground at the Gran Sasso National
Laboratory of the I.N.F.N., it has pointed out -- at 6.3 sigma C.L. -- an
effect which satisfies all the peculiarities of the signature and neither
systematic effects nor side reactions able to mimic the signature were found.
Moreover, several (but still few with respect to the possibilities) corollary
model dependent quests for the candidate particle have been carried out. In
this paper the obtained results are summarized and some perspectives are
discussed at some extent.
