Life and death in Pompeii and Herculaneum

Two ordinary cities,
one extraordinary event

AD 79. In just 24 hours, two cities in the Bay of Naples in southern Italy were buried by a catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius.

Preserved under ash, the cities lay buried for just over 1,600 years, their rediscovery providing an unparalleled glimpse into the daily life of the Roman Empire.

From the bustling street to the intimate spaces of a Roman home, this major exhibition will take you to the heart of people’s lives in Pompeii and Herculaneum.

More about the exhibition 

Related playlists

Downloads

Pompeii and Herculaneum promo video

Download this video to watch in your favourite media player, or to view this video online please enable javascript.

Download this video to watch in your favourite media player, or to view this video online please install the Flash player

Latest exhibitions

  Paterson Joseph performs Brutus

Shakespeare: staging the world

Paterson Joseph performs Brutus.

See all video and audio 

  Horse exhibition video

The horse: from Arabia to Royal Ascot

Discover the epic story of the horse in this special free exhibition – a journey of 5,000 years that has revolutionised human history.
See all video and audio 

  Steve Ruddy planting a window box

North American Landscape: Kew at the British Museum

Steve Ruddy plants a window box.
See all video and audio 

 

  Picasso exhibition introduction video

Introduction to Picasso's Vollard Suite

Stephen Coppel, exhibition curator, introduces The Vollard Suite.

See all video and audio 

 

Sui Jianguo's discus thrower

The Discobolus (discus thrower) is one of the most famous sculptures from the ancient world and has come to mean different things to different people.
See all video and audio 

  Hajj exhibition introduction video

Hajj: journey to the heart of Islam

One of the five pillars of Islam central to Muslim belief, Hajj is the pilgrimage to Mecca that every Muslim must make at least once in their lifetime if they are able.

See all video and audio 

 

 

Grayson Perry: the Tomb of the Unknown Craftsman

Grayson Perry curates an installation of his new works alongside objects made by unknown men and women throughout history.
See all video and audio 

 

Treasures of Heaven: saints, relics and devotion in medieval Europe

Explore some of the finest sacred masterpieces of medieval art that medieval Christians conidered a bridge between earth and heaven.
See all video and audio 

  Afghan gold crown

Afghanistan: Crossroads of the Ancient World

Discover the remarkable story of the survival, discovery and display of these ancient treasures from Afghanistan.
See all video and audio 

 

 

Australian season

A season focusing on Australian biodiversity, modern prints and beautifully handcrafted baskets.

See all video and audio  

 

Xu Bing: Background Story 7

Discover the secrets behind this shadow-and-light box installation by contemporary artist Xu Bing, inspired by a Chinese painting in the Museum’s collection.

See all video and audio  

 

Book of the Dead

Follow the ancient Egyptians’ journey from death to the afterlife in this once-in-a-lifetime exhibition focusing on the Book of the Dead.

See all video and audio  

 

 

China: Journey to the East

This touring exhibition spans 3,000 years of Chinese history and culture.
See all video and audio  

 

Sikh fortress turban

Introducing the key themes and ideas of the exhibition Sikh fortress turban.

See all video and audio