Arizona Science Center’s limited-time Pompeii exhibition

The Arizona Science Center is taking time-traveling to a new level. For a limited time, visitors can travel back to Pompeii through the museum’s new traveling exhibition.

Through 150 artifacts, the exhibition tells the story of the hidden and forgotten city. The exhibit examines the lives of residents before and after the catastrophic explosion of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D.

Alix Bierson, Senior Scientist of Biology, Earth and Environmental Science at Arizona Science Center, joined “Arizona Horizon” to discuss the new exhibition.

“In [79] A.D Pompeii would have been well an Italian resort city,” Bierson said. “It was a big port area, a bunch of trade came in, rather like Naples today. It was kind of the place to be in Ancient Rome. A bunch of senators would vacation there. People would set up market stalls… And then the volcano erupted.”

Within 24 hours of the eruption, the once lively city of Pomepeii was buried under 12 feet of ash and stone, lost to time. That was until the ruins were uncovered in the 1740s by Spanish military engineer Roque Joaquín de Alcubierre, according to Bierson.

The tragedy of what was once a great city can be experience at the Arizona Science Center through their display’s authentic artifacts which are on loan from the Naples National Archaeological museum in Italy and the Archeological Park of Pompeii.

Bierson added, “When you first enter the exhibition, you’ll walk through a view of daily life…You’ll get to see everything from beautiful statuary to literally the pots and pans that people were using in their kitchens.”

The exhibit also includes artifacts such as the wardrobe of a Roman soldier consisting of a helmet, body armor and weapons. The highlight of the display is the immersive theater where guests can experience the eruption and its 24 hour aftermath from the point-of-view of the city. Afterwards guest can see some of the casts of those who fell victim to the ash and stone.