Pompeii:
Life in a Roman Town 79 CE
Location
SingaporeClient
National Heritage Board / National Museum of SingaporeSurface area
15,382 sq ft / 1,429 m²Completion date
2010
Introducing the Singaporean public to the myriad of artifacts discovered in Pompeii, Italy, this well-received exhibition was designed to illustrate both sides of the coin: the horror and awe of the Vesuvius volcanic eruption and the wealth of ancient Roman history that was conserved in the volcanic rock.
Presenting a well-known collection of artefacts, GSM Project turned the classical exhibition formula on its head and created an experience that allowed visitors to see not through the eyes of a Pompeiian, but through the eyes of an archaeologist. As though sifting through the volcanic rock for the first time, visitors are first hit by the horror of the eruption as they walk through the body casts of eruption victims.
Visitors follow archaeologists through their discovery of the ruins conserved beneath, beginning with public markets and shrines followed by private homes, displaying artifacts ranging from statues to jewellery and frescos. Scale photographs of the current ruins of Pompeii provide the backdrop against which the artifacts are displayed and the sounds of cicadas and the hustle of people put the visitor in the archaeologist’s shoes as he surveys the site.
Summary
Introducing the Singaporean public to the myriad of artifacts discovered in Pompeii, Italy, this well-received exhibition was designed to illustrate both sides of the coin: the horror and awe of the Vesuvius’ volcanic eruption and the wealth of ancient Roman history that was conserved in the volcanic rock.