The ‘A Day in Pompeii’ exhibition will be opening at the Western Australian Museum in Perth on 21 May. Check the website, which has lots of great photos and materials. There don’t seem to be any lectures or events this time, but I notice that the entire exhibition can be hired out for private functions!
Congratulations to the editors of the journal Oebalus who have just published their first Quaderno as mentioned in a recent post.
I mention the publication again because I’ve just read Fabrizio Pesando’s paper which should be of particular interest to Blog readers: “Appunti sull’evoluzione urbanistica di Pompei fra l’età arcaica e il III secolo a.C.: ricerche e risultati nel settore nord-occidentale della città” (Notes on Pompeii’s urban evolution between the archaic period and the third century BC: research and results from the north-west area of the city).
Announcement today that the A Day in Pompeii exhibition will be going to Perth next, from 20 May to 5 September:
Western Australians will have a unique opportunity to experience one of the world’s most fascinating cities in a new exhibition at the Western Australian Museum – Perth.
Tourism Minister Liz Constable and Culture and the Arts Minister John Day today announced today announced that the Museum would host the highly successful exhibition A Day in Pompeii from May 20 to September 5, 2010.
The exhibition was developed by the Soprintendenza Speciale per I Beni Archeologici di Napoli e Pompei and Museum Victoria and will be brought to Perth by Eventscorp and the WA Museum.
Western Australian Museum Acting Chief Executive Officer Ms Diana Jones said the Museum was delighted to host such a prestigious exhibition.
“A Day in Pompeii is an incredible exhibition that gives a unique insight into life in the city of Pompeii, and the catastrophic disaster that entombed the city and its inhabitants for more than 17 centuries,” Ms Jones said.
“We are delighted to partner with Eventscorp to bring A Day in Pompeii to Western Australia.
“The artefacts featured in the exhibition rarely leave Italy and are sure to capture the imaginations of WA audiences,” Ms Jones said.
Eventscorp Executive Director David van Ooran said A Day in Pompeii had received record attendances in Melbourne and New Zealand and would be a major highlight on the State’s cultural calendar.
“A Day in Pompeii was originally secured in Melbourne with exclusive rights in Australia so it is a real coup to be able to bring this exhibition to Western Australia,” Mr van Ooran said.
“Perth will be the only other Australian host city for A Day in Pompeii and the last chance for Australians to experience this extraordinary exhibition before it leaves the country,” Mr van Ooran said.
A Day in Pompeii features hundreds of extraordinary objects that were recovered by archaeologists in the 1700s.
After Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD, Pompeii was buried under tonnes of volcanic ash and the city, once home to around 12,000 inhabitants, remained in near-perfect preservation.
The objects in the exhibition depict daily life in the ancient city – from food and dining to shopping, medicine, and religious practices.
Highlights include room-size frescoes, marble and bronze sculptures, jewellery, gold coins and everyday household items – all of which evoke the richness and culture of daily life in the Roman Empire’s favourite vacation resort.
A virtual house allows visitors to experience the original beauty and elegance of one of Pompeii’s finest residences, known as the ‘House of Vine’.
The visual world of Pompeii will also be illustrated with an immersive 3D theatre where visitors will feel the terror of the town’s citizens during the 48 hours of eruptions that wiped out Pompeii and encased the town.
A Day in Pompeii will be on display at the Western Australian Museum – Perth from May 20 to September 5, 2010.
Tickets for will go on sale through BOCS Ticketing on April 1, 2010. Adults $20, concession $14, children $12 and family $54.
A Day in Pompeii is presented by Eventscorp and exhibited by the Soprintendenza Speciale per I Beni Archeologici di Napoli e Pompei (SANP) and Museum Victoria.
Check out these fabulous cartoons drawn by Douglas Holgate for the recent Melbourne exhibition ‘A Day in Pompeii’. I think they’re great! You can find Douglas’ work on Flickr. The cartoons below are posted with his permission.
