Free Entry: Pompeii Exhibit at National Museum

January 2011, Singapore – If you always wondered how the people of Pompeii lived, before Mount Vesuvius’s fateful eruption almost two millenia ago,  don’t miss out this opportunity at the Pompeii: Life In A Roman Town 79CE at the National Museum of Singapore.

The exhibits, presented by National Museum of Singapore and jointly organised by Soprintendenza Speciale per i Beni Archeologic di Napoli e Pompei (SANP) and Melbourne Museum, have been displayed since 16 October and this visiting exhibition will end its season on 23 January 2011.  As the exhibit comes to the end of its season, you can enjoy FREE entry on 14 to 16 and 21 to 23 January 2011.

There are 280 artefacts featured in this exhibition and includes body casts of those who fell victim to the eruption, fresco paintings, gladiator’s gear and a 2.4 metre high mosaic fountain.  Excavated from the sites of ancient Pompeii and her neighbouring towns, these artefacts in the Singapore showcase will be presented differently from that in the Melbourne Museum. More than just a town inflicted by a near apocalyptic eruption, the heart of Pompeii is revealed in three main sections:

Pompeii: The Eruption
Body casts of eight victims capture the emotions and struggles in the fight for survival. In addition, a contorted cast of a dog and detailed fabric shapes on a human body cast indicate the intricate archaeological skills that have been applied.

Pompeii: The Town
Gain insights into the trade and commerce of Pompeii as well as the kinds of public entertainment that the people indulge in. Here, you would catch a glimpse of an almost complete set of gladiator’s gear.

Pompeii: The Home
Based on the layout of a typical atrium house in Pompeii, aspects of private lives of the Pompeiians such as their dining culture will be showcased. Their private abodes include luxurious villas and gardens adorned with beautiful frecoes which were common at that time. A number of frescoes survived the devastating eruption inflicted on Pompeii.

Digital technology has been employed in the form of a 3D video of the final hours of the eruption.  An educational section that consists of hands-on activities for children and adults as well as reference materials has been specially included to give the visitors an immersive experience of Pompeiian life and the tragedy of Mount Vesuvius’ eruption.

Date: 14 to 16 January and 21 to 23 January
Time: 10am – 9pm on 14, 21 and 22 January (Last admission at 8pm)
10am – 6pm on 15, 16 and 23 January (Last admission at 5pm)
Admission:  Free
Venue:  Exhibition Galleries 1 & 2 | National Museum of Singapore @  93 Stamford Road
MRT Station: City Hall/Dhoby Ghaut
Website: www.nationalmusuem.sg
Contact: 6332 3659 / 6332 5642

Chinese New Year Museum Open House

Celebrate the beginning of a joyous new year at the National Museum of Singapore with your family and friends as you enjoy free entry into all galleries and exhibitions! Take a trip down memory lane when you visit the Singapore History Gallery, explore the four Singapore Living Galleries or discover a different perspective of the colonial discourse in Indonesia’s history through a contextualised view of the images in Silent Coercion: Sumatra’s East Coast through a Colonial Lens exhibition!

National Museum of Singapore Chinese New Year Open House
Date: Friday, 4 February 2011
Time: 10am to 5pm
Admission: Free entry to all galleries and exhibitions