Blockbuster exhibition comes to the National Museum of Australia to recreate the final days of Pompeii

Posted on 10 September, 2024

It’s long been an event that’s fascinated the world for centuries – the catastrophic volcanic eruption that destroyed the city of Pompeii.

Renowned for its well-preserved ruins and archaeological wonders, after 2,000 years, the famous frozen city will be coming back to life for the first time in the Southern Hemisphere.

A first-of-its-kind exhibition is coming to the National Museum of Australia in Canberra this December to present the people of Pompeii as they were before the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 CE.

Opening on Friday 13 December, Pompeii is a blockbuster exhibition combining moving soundscapes and large-scale digital projections with over 90 fascinating objects to immerse visitors in the famous city’s last moments.

An exclusive collaboration with the Archaeological Park of Pompeii in Italy, the Grand Palais in France and the National Museum of Australia, key objects on display will include stunning frescoes spanning more than three metres, magnificent mosaics, jewellery, sculptures, and moving replicas of casts of people who died in the disaster.

Director of the National Museum, Katherine McMahon, says the exhibition would allow visitors to experience ancient Pompeii “like never before.”

“Ancient Pompeii still captures the imagination almost 2,000 years after its destruction. It is a story that has been passed down through the ages and one that keeps evolving with each new archaeological discovery,” she says.

“Now Australians and international visitors to our capital city will experience the majesty, wonder and tragedy of Pompeii in an entirely new way – as both a living, breathing ancient city and as an archaeological site.”

Credit: Rmn. Grand Palais.

Not only showing the city right before the fateful moment it was swallowed by Vesuvius’ all-consuming ash, the exhibition will also present Pompeii as a place of discovery that continues to connect our world with the ancient world.

“The 90 extraordinary objects selected for display come from some of the most significant archaeological digs over the last century,” says National Museum Curator Dr Lily Withycombe.

“These objects focus on the very real human experience inside the exhibition. Visitors will see themselves reflected in ancient Pompeii through relatable objects, such as cookware and tweezers.

“And they will feel compassion by connecting with this incredible material culture that spans the full experience in Ancient Rome and the rich, complex full lives people lived.”

Another highlight? A spectacular 360-degree recreation of Mount Vesuvius’ eruption, scheduled to take place every 15 minutes, immersing visitors in the full fury and power of the catastrophe.

“This fully immersive exhibition, in combination with striking artefacts which have never previously been seen in Australia, invites people to explore everyday life in the city, and its post-eruption rediscovery, especially in the past decade of major new excavations,” says Katherine.

“We are proud to host this spectacular ancient world experience for the first time in Australia and in the Southern Hemisphere.”

Pompeii will be on show in Canberra until 4 May 2025. Tickets for Pompeii go on sale in late October and will be available from the National Museum of Australia website.

Feature image: Pompeii at the Grand Palais. Credit: Didier Plowy.