CINCINNATI — Pompeii, a city with a reputation and tragic history that most people have already heard about even thousands of years later, will be the focus of Cincinnati Museum Center’s newest visiting exhibition.
POMPEII: The Exhibition will open at CMC on February 16, when visitors will be able to see more than 150 artifacts on loan from Italy. Presale tickets will also be available.
The eruption of Mount Vesivius on August 24, 79 A.D. forever changed the landscape, both destroying and preserving the city of Pompeii.
“Pompeii is a remarkable story that exists as both ancient legend and archaeological treasure, providing a timeless snapshot of daily life in the Roman Empire,” said Elizabeth Pierce, president and CEO of CMC, in a press release.
The artifacts visitors will be able to see are on loan from the National Archaeological Museum of Naples in Italy, and they include preserved mosaics and frescoes, gladiator armor, statues, jewelry and everyday items that provide a glimpse into the day-to-day lives of those who lived in Pompeii.
“We wanted to bring this historical event back to life and allow guests to relive it vividly,” said John Norman, president of World Heritage Exhibitions and producer of the exhibit. “Cincinnati Museum Center’s reputation as a premiere venue makes it a perfect location to exhibit these international treasures and provide audiences an opportunity to experience life in the bustling city of Pompeii before time essentially stopped.”
The exhibit has several immersive experiences as well, including an introductory theater that shows reconstructions of Pompeii and its neighbor, Vesuvius. There will also be holographic gladiatorial combat and a simulated 4D eruption theater that give guests an idea of the full impact Vesuvius had on Pompeii and the people who were trapped within.