Visitors to the Arizona Science Center’s latest exhibit can explore the lives of residents of Pompeii before and after the catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D. (submitted photo).
“Pompeii: The Exhibition” finishes its North American tour at the Arizona Science Center in downtown Phoenix. On view through April, the exhibition examines the lives of residents of Pompeii before and after the catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius on Aug. 24, 79 A.D. Over 150 artifacts on loan from the collections of the Naples National Archaeological Museum in Italy and the Archaeological Park of Pompeii will be displayed.
Visitors to the exhibition will travel back in time to 79 A.D. when Pompeii bustled as a commercial port and strategic military and trading city. In a media-rich, object-based, immersive experience, they will learn how the people of Pompeii lived, loved, worked, worshipped and found entertainment.
On view: over 150 artifacts, including frescoes, mosaics, and statues, hidden from view and forgotten for centuries until rediscovery over 250 years ago. The sudden disaster that destroyed Pompeii also preserved it and over time archaeologists have uncovered a unique record of its daily life – roads, buildings, municipal services, paintings, mosaics, artifacts and even preserved bodies. Ongoing excavations at the site provide an ever-evolving picture of everyday life at the height of the Roman Empire.
The exhibition is a premium add-on experience and requires a separate purchase from general admission. Arizona Science Center is located at 600 E. Washington St. For additional information, visit www.azscience.org or call 602-716-2000.
