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The exhibition named National Geographic's Best Historical Exhibition 2024 arrives in Barcelona
Come to the most immersive event of the moment: The Last Days of Pompeii, already seen by more than 850,000 people around the world and arriving at the Ideal Montjuïc cultural centre from 20 March to 29 June.
The history of Pompeii ceases to be a still image in books and becomes an experience explored through the senses. All of this is brought to the immersive exhibition The Last Days of Pompeii, recognised as Best Historical Exhibition 2024 by National Geographic and seen by more than 850,000 people worldwide.
From 20 March until 29 June, Barcelona hosts this event in an experience that proposes travelling back in time to discover what life was like in one of the most prosperous cities of the Roman Empire before the catastrophe that turned it into one of the world’s most famous archaeological sites.
The exhibition, installed at the Ideal Montjuïc cultural centre, combines virtual-reality technology, traditional exhibition spaces and digital reconstructions to recreate the atmosphere of the ancient Roman city.
The Last Days of Pompeii in Barcelona
Following its world premiere in Madrid in 2023, The Last Days of Pompeii exhibition has toured several international capitals, including London, Vienna and Beijing, establishing itself as an informative proposal that brings together history, archaeology and technology.
A complete 90-minute experience that invites visitors to immerse themselves in the everyday life of Pompeii, from its streets and markets to the dramatic moments of the volcanic eruption.
A journey to first-century Pompeii
The exhibition proposal of The Last Days of Pompeii in Barcelona seeks to transport visitors directly to the heart of the ancient Roman city. Through large audiovisual projections, digital recreations and carefully designed sound environments, it makes it possible to explore different emblematic spaces in Pompeii as they would have been before the eruption of Vesuvius.
The streets, villas decorated with frescoes, temples and amphitheatres form part of this narrative journey, which reconstructs the dynamism of a city that, before its destruction, was an important commercial and cultural centre in southern Italy. The exhibition’s contents are inspired by the archaeological discoveries preserved at the celebrated Pompeii site, considered one of the best-preserved examples of an ancient Roman city.
Photo by faverup.com
Technology to recreate history
One of the most striking elements of The Last Days of Pompeii is its use of advanced technological tools to bring the past closer to contemporary audiences. Virtual reality makes it possible to observe scenes of daily life in Pompeii or attend period spectacles, such as gladiator combats.
This kind of resource is combined with interactive installations and three-dimensional recreations that help explain what architecture, social organisation and economic activity were like in the Roman city. The intention is for visitors not only to observe historical objects, but to feel part of history.
The development of this type of exhibition is supported by archaeological research and the work of specialised institutions such as the Pompeii Archaeological Park, responsible for preserving and studying the original site.
The eruption that changed history
The central moment of The Last Days of Pompeii exhibition is the recreation of the eruption of Vesuvius that destroyed Pompeii in AD 79. Through visual and sound effects, this event reproduces the advance of volcanic clouds, falling ash and the chaos that the city’s inhabitants must have experienced.
The historical episode was documented thanks to the letters of the Roman writer Pliny the Younger, who described the eruption in great detail. His accounts constitute one of the most important historical sources for understanding what happened that day.
Current studies on the volcano and the catastrophe draw on research carried out by scientific and educational institutions, including the University of Cambridge, whose work on volcanology and archaeology has contributed to deepening knowledge of the disaster.
The exhibition is conceived as an accessible experience for a broad audience. Its combination of history, technology and audiovisual narrative makes it an attractive proposal both for archaeology enthusiasts and for those seeking a different cultural activity in the city.