Ancient Rome Comes to Melbourne Museum, But Not for Much Longer
Statues, mosaics, frescoes and gladiator-era treasures from two of Italy's great museums are on show in Melbourne for the first time, until 25 October.
Two thousand years after Julius Caesar fell, Ancient Rome has landed in Carlton. ROME: Empire, Power, People, Melbourne Museum's big exhibition for 2026, brings more than 180 original objects from the Imperial era to Australia, and every one of them is being shown in Melbourne for the first time.
From Caesar to collapse
The exhibition picks up the story after Caesar's assassination and follows the rise of the Empire through its political, cultural and spiritual life. The objects date from the 1st to the 3rd century CE and range from the grand to the ordinary: marble statues, mosaics, frescoes and jewellery sit alongside the kind of everyday items that show how ordinary Romans actually lived.
The loans come from two of Italy's most important institutions, the Museo Nazionale Romano and the Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Firenze. Museums Victoria designed the show, working with Italian partners Contemporanea Progetti and curators from the Museo Nazionale Romano.
Banquets, gladiators and marketplaces
Rather than a static line of glass cases, the exhibition uses scenography and multimedia to bring the city to life. Visitors move through the spectacle of the gladiator arena, the bustle of Rome's markets and the famously excessive world of the Roman banquet, including displays and artefacts drawn from real triclinia, the dining rooms where the wealthy reclined to eat.
It is the kind of exhibition that works for a history buff and a curious 10-year-old alike, which makes it a strong option for the school holidays.
Plan your visit
- Where: Melbourne Museum, Carlton Gardens
- Closes: Sunday 25 October 2026
- Tickets: exhibition tickets include general museum entry; book via Museums Victoria
Source: Museums Victoria. Image courtesy of Museums Victoria.
