A new Pompeii exhibition is open now through April 21, 2019 at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in sunny Los Angeles. When we found out about this event, we all were so thrilled to see more than 150 authentic artifacts, such as mosaics and frescoes, gladiator armor, weapons, a ship’s anchor, ceramics, plates, furniture, jewelry, medical instruments, and tools from the first century A.D. My son is very inquisitive about the history of the Roman city of Pompeii. He was so excited to see the exhibition and find out more about what happened around mid-morning on August 24, 79 A.D., when Mount Vesuvius erupted.
We arrived at the library at noon and could not find any parking. There were so many people with kids and family members who had entered the museum area to see the Pompeii exhibition. The Reagan Library by itself is very impressive and holds a significant spirit of Reagan’s life. My son even forgot about his iPad, observing the interior’s info beginning from Reagan’s childhood through his film carrier and political influence on United States. We knew our journey would be interesting and very educational for us parents and our 8-year-old son.
The moment we entered the Pompeii exhibition, my son said “Mommy, this is my favorite exhibition at Reagan Library!” And he was absolutely right. The Pompeii exhibition took us back in time. We experienced life in Pompeii almost 2,000 years ago. My son was aware of the Mount Vesuvius volcano that happened in the 1st century in Pompeii. But he had no idea that within 24 hours, the Roman city of Pompeii was destroyed and about 16,000 people died in the eruption.
We all were impressed with the simulated 4-D Eruption Theater. It was truly spectacular to experience the devastating impact Mount Vesuvius had on Pompeii. The film had a big effect on my son. He even had the feeling that he was actually living in that moment.
The climactic moment for him was the revealing of full body casts of twisted human forms. It was truly incredible and a vivid experience for us. After the 4-D movie experience, we went through the different body cast statues of the volcano’s victims that were preserved in the ash.
The Pompeii exhibition came from the renowned Naples National Archaeological Museum in Italy. We discovered and learned how people lived, worked and created daily things in ancient Rome.
We gave 5 stars to the Pompeii special exhibit. This fascinating exhibit is not only powerful, it holds many important historical lessons and gives a chance to all human beings to learn the tale of the bustling city of Pompeii, hidden from view and forgotten for centuries until its rediscovery over 250 years ago.