A Melbourne-exclusive exhibition, ROME: Empire, Power, People will open at Melbourne Museum on 1st April 2026, revealing the grandeur, spectacle and magnificent story of the Eternal City and the rise, rule and legacy of one of history’s most powerful civilisations.
The exhibition, designed by Museums Victoria and developed in collaboration with Contemporanea Progetti and curators from Museo Nazionale Romano and Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Firenze, will draw on the extraordinary collections of two of Italy’s most prestigious museums for a never-before seen exhibition. Presented with the support of the Ministero della Cultura, Dipartimento per la valorizzazione del patrimonio culturale and Direzione regionale Musei nazionali Toscana.
The experience is a vibrant exploration of Rome’s political, cultural and social life, with over 150 objects dating from the Imperial period 1st Century CE to the 3rd Century CE, with all of the objects on display in Melbourne for the first time.
Featuring original statues, mosaics, frescoes, jewellery and everyday objects from the humblest to the most sumptuous, visitors will trace Ancient Rome’s legacy from the fall of Julius Caesar and the rise of the Empire, to the sophistication and luxury of Imperial Rome, the spectacle of the gladiator arena, and the bustling marketplaces and everyday lives of Romans.
Event Details:
Dates: Wednesday 1 April 2026–Sunday 25 October 2026
Suitable for: Not specified
Location: Melbourne Museum
Warnings: Not specified