The Only Way to Catch This Exclusive Pompeii Exhibition in Australia

When Italy’s Mount Vesuvius, located 22 kilometres south-east of Naples, erupted in 79 CE, the once vibrant city of Pompeii was cloaked in around six metres of ash and rock. While the fate of its citizens was tragic, the catastrophe resulted in a uniquely preserved snapshot of ancient Roman life that has been gradually revealed over hundreds of years of archaeological excavation.

A new exhibition at the National Museum of Australia brings new perspectives and findings from the fabled city. Running until 4 May, Pompeii presents fascinating frescoes alongside 90 objects unearthed from the UNESCO World Heritage site, including jewellery, sculpture, pottery and everyday artefacts, such as cooking utensils, many of them travelling outside of Europe for the first time. The southern-hemisphere exclusive is the result of a crossborder collaboration between Canberra’s National Museum, the Archaeological Park of Pompeii, the Grand Palais museum in France and interactive media creators Gedeon Experiences. The immersive event represents years of planning to connect Australian audiences with a piece of world history that has mystified and fascinated for centuries. 

Through elaborately detailed soundscapes and digital projections that recreate the streets of Pompeii, the exhibition paints a vivid picture of what life may have been like before, during and after the demise of the storied city. A physical representation of the city’s main corso stretches some 35 metres through the venue, while a six-metre-high, 360-degree reimagination of the volcano’s eruption is showcased every 15 minutes.

National Museum of Australia director Katherine McMahon describes the exhibition as a portal through time, unveiling the secrets of an ancient world. “It enables people to experience Pompeii, both as an ancient Roman city and a place of incredible discovery, like never before,” she says. “It connects us with the people and their lives in entirely new ways.” 

Here's how to make your visit to Pompeii the ultimate weekend getaway.

Where to stay

The lobby of Ovolo Nishi, a boutique hotel just a 10-minute stroll from the National Museum, is filled with original artworks by the likes of Enrique Rottenberg and Gerard Havekesand, as well as restored 20th-century furniture. Relax in your inviting room with its cosy natural textiles before venturing out to explore the nation’s capital. 

Where to eat and drink

Rebel Rebel is a 15-minute walk to the National Museum of Australia and offers an all-day, produce-led menu alongside a largely Australian wine list. Expect hearty fare including lamb neck with burnt eggplant and decadent cauliflower and comté croquettes, all plated up in a sleek industrial-chic space that’s ideal for unwinding after catching the exhibit. Nearby Bar Rochford is tucked upstairs in Canberra’s heritage-listed Melbourne building with a record collection that’s as extensive and diverse as the wines on offer. 

What to do nearby

Located in the Acton cultural precinct, the National Film & Sound Archive hosts a rotating roster of film screenings, covering everything from classics such as Alfred Hitchcock’s voyeuristic murder-mystery Rear Window to modern cult-favourites like Nora Ephron’s You’ve Got Mail. Across the road at the Australian National University’s School of Art & Design gallery, Gurindji Freedom Banners – Mumkurla-nginyi-ma parrngalinyparla – From the darkness into the light is a temporary exhibition of illustrative banners that share the story of the historic Wave Hill Walk-off in 1966, a significant civil rights strike by First Nations workers in the Victoria River district.