Explosive “One Day In Pompeii” Exhibition Comes to the Franklin Institute

The ancient city of Pompeii is having something of a moment right now. A brand-new Hollywood disaster/action flick (directed by the guy who did Resident Evil and starring the hot dude who plays Jon Snow on Game of Thrones!) is hitting screens late next month, and is guaranteed to bring the fire both literally and otherwise. Bastille’s song Pompeii is blazing the airwaves. And really, who doesn’t love a good – read: horrifying, fascinating, and strangely romantic – volcano-having-its-way-with-civilization-and-thousands-of-hapless-humans story? Towards that end, the Franklin Institute is currently hosting a special exhibition, One Day in Pompeii.

The traveling exhibit is making its North American debut here in Philly, sporting over 150 artifacts on loan from Italy. The items, which include furniture, frescoes, and household items, were all unearthed from the ash of Pompeii in strikingly impressive condition. The mundane humanity of the city’s doomed residents is breathtakingly revealed through interactive displays that highlight normal Roman sights and sounds. The shining metal shinguards of gladiators will impress you, but there’s something heartbreaking about the small footstools and jewelry… tangible reminders that people with lives and stories just like ours perished in large numbers on one otherwise-normal summer day. There are also plaster casts of the eruption victims, mirroring those still encased in situ at the archaeological site. Visitors will also experience an eerie CGI-assisted recreation of Vesuvius’ meltdown, and learn more about scientists’ efforts to preserve Pompeii as a World Heritage Site.

Plaster casts were made from hollow spaces formed in the rock as bodies decomposed in Pompeii

“One Day In Pompeii” is open daily through April at the Franklin Institute. Hours are 9:30am – 5pm (with last admission at 3:30) Sunday through Wednesday, and 9am – 9pm (last admission at 7pm) Thursday through Saturday. Tickets are $27.50 for adults and $21.50 for children aged 11 and under, with discounts offered for evening admission. All tickets include general admission to the rest of the Institute.