Eruption Week Activities During POMPEII: THE EXHIBITION Provides Up-Close Look at Preserved Roman City
ST. LOUIS, MO – August 13, 2025 – – Nearly 2,000 years ago, the eruption of Mount Vesuvius buried the Roman city of Pompeii and its residents under 15 feetof ash and volcanic debris. The Saint Louis Science Center and POMPEII: THE EXHIBITION provide an up-close look at the preserved artifacts and fascinating technology discovered around Pompeii to tell the tale of the amazing lives enjoyed by its residents prior to the eruption.
To commemorate the eruption date – August 24, 79 A.D. – and to celebrate the people of Pompeii and their extraordinary advancements, the Science Center will host Eruption Week activities from August 21-24 this year. Each day during that period, the Science Center will explore:
- ENTERTAINMENT (Thursday, Aug 21) – Seating approximately 10,000 to 20,000 spectators and regarded as the oldest known stone amphitheater in the world, Pompeii’s amphitheater was the region’s center for entertainment, gladiatorial contests, political events and more, but it was also an integral component of the city’s social, cultural and political life. During theatrical performances, actors wore exaggerated masks that helped the audience identify with different characters and amplified the actors’ voices around the theater. To celebrate the importance of entertainment within the Pompeiian culture, Science Center guests can learn about the various styles of masks associated with Pompeiian theater and create their own Roman-style mask.
- ECOLOGY (Friday, Aug 22) – Gardens played a significant and multifaceted role in the Roman world – both in public areas and private homes. While highly ornamental, gardens offered a refuge of peace and tranquility full of religious and symbolic meaning, they also served as a food source that grew a family’s herbs and vegetables, a kitchen where ovens circulated heat away from or into indoor areas, and areas to showcase technological marvel with lavish decorations, intricate irrigation systems and crosspollination of plant species. To understand the importance of gardens to Pompeiian citizens, guests can use their sense of smell to identify plants common to Pompeii vs. Missouri native plants. In addition, during the Friday late afternoon and evening hours, the Science Center’s partners from Schlafly brewing will be on site for sample tastings and the opportunity to smell different ingredients of various beers.
- ENGINEERING (Saturday, Aug 23) – Pompeii’s advanced plumbing system distributed water throughout the city for access to clean drinking water for all citizens and heated/cooled water for specific uses within homes, baths and other buildings. To learn about the elaborate system of pipes and aqueducts that moved water around Pompeii, guests can complete a map to best route the supply to the city’s residents
- ERUPTION DAY (Sunday, Aug 24) – The entire Science Center will come alive throughout the day (9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) to commemorate the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Guests can discover the role of graffiti in Pompeiian communication (much like social media does for us today), create a mosaic, build an amphitheater out of Keva blocks, learn how the eruption has influenced Italian agriculture (through Roma tomatoes, wine and more) and enjoy all of the special events mentioned above. Additionally, demonstrations and shows at the Science Center’s Energy Stage will explain volcanic eruptions and other topics throughout the day.
POMPEII: THE EXHIBITION will remain on display at the Science Center until September 15. The exhibition presents a media-rich, artifact-intensive experience to connect guests with the people of Pompeii — sharing their customs, their way of life, what they treasured and what they believed. Among the exhibition highlights are more than 150 authentic artifacts discovered around the Mount Vesuvius region, including:
- Artifacts excavated from the site, including mosaics, frescoes, statuary and other priceless art; jewelry; medical instruments, restaurant pots and other professional tools; household items; and more. Included in this are several artifacts on their first-ever tour amid any exhibition in the United States.
- A spectacular display featuring holographic gladiatorial combat and the armor and weaponry used in these battles.
- A 4-D multi-media simulation, allowing guests the opportunity to experience the stages of Mount Vesuvius’ two-day eruption and its monumental impact through sights, sounds, smells and more.
- The aftermath of the eruption, including body casts from several of the region’s 20,000 citizens who were left forever frozen in time by the extreme heat, noxious gases and hardened ash.
While admission to the Science Center is free and open to everyone Thursdays through Mondays, tickets for a specific timed entry are required to enter POMPEII: THE EXHIBITION. Tickets start at $15 for current or new Science Center members and are now on sale at slsc.org/pompeii or through the Science Center box office.
Contact:
Doug Bolnick, Public Relations Manager
Email or call 314.289.4461
About the Saint Louis Science Center
The mission of the Saint Louis Science Center is to inspire everyone to be curious and engaged in science. Named a Smithsonian Institution Affiliate in 2016, the award-winning Science Center engages guests through on-site experiences, including hundreds of hands-on exhibits, the OMNIMAX® Theater, which is one of just nine IMAX® Dome with Laser theaters in the world, and the James S. McDonnell Planetarium, which was recently named America’s Best Planetarium by the USA Today Readers’ Choice Awards. For more information about the Saint Louis Science Center, please visit slsc.org.
About World Heritage Exhibitions
World Heritage Exhibitions (WHE) is renowned for producing, promoting, and designing the finest quality museum content on the globe. Their exhibitions have captivated, educated, and inspired visitors in virtually every major market on the planet. With a combined 150 years of exhibition experience, the WHE executive team has been responsible for touring many of the world’s most valuable treasures, including objects from King Tutankhamun’s tomb, relics from Cleopatra’s Royal Palace, artifacts from the Titanic, items from the discovery of Pompeii, and more. Their exhibitions have now been enjoyed by over 30 million people spanning six continents, and their collective expertise has come together in one of the industry’s most influential touring exhibition companies.
In 2021, World Heritage Exhibitions became a part of NEON, a global leader in immersive experiences that is responsible for the touring phenomena “Jurassic World: The Experience,” “Harry Potter: Visions of Magic,” “AVATAR: The Experience,” and more. WHE and NEON have brought their expertise together to launch the aweinspiring, artifact-based exhibitions “Ramses the Great and the Gold of the Pharaohs” and “Machu Picchu and the Golden Empires of Peru,” coupled with some of the most successful artifact exhibitions on tour: “Mummies of the World: The Exhibition;” “Pompeii: The Exhibition;” and “Auschwitz. Not long ago. Not far away.” With decades of expertise in events, exhibitions and logistics, NEON is positioned to support billion-dollar studio IPs and government organizations in the creation of epic experiences for fans & families across the globe.
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