Two Pompeii exhibitions open in Brussels this autumn

Tickets are now on sale for two exhibitions on Pompeii staged in the Belgian capital from this autumn. The Last Days of Pompeii: The Immersive Exhibition opens on 23 October at Brussels Expo, while Pompeii at Tour & Taxis welcomes visitors from 1 November.

The exhibition at Brussels Expo’s Terminal 01 in Heysel is designed to immerse visitors in the heart of the Roman city "to relive one of the most dramatic moments in history: the eruption of Mount Vesuvius," which engulfed the city near Naples in 79 AD.

The show (pictured, main image) is spread over 3,000m2 and promises "a striking, multi-sensory reconstruction of the city of Pompeii on the eve of its disappearance under the ashes."

Visitors will be able to discover the daily lives of the inhabitants and experience the terror of their final hours via the large-scale digital projections. In addition to the immersive elements, the exhibition will feature a selection of original ancient artifacts and replicas that "will allow visitors to gain an insight into Roman life at that time, all presented with a carefully crafted historical narrative."

The worldwide production has already toured Madrid, Beijing, Vienna, and Berlin.

Meanwhile, Pompeii (pictured above) will fill a 1,500m2 space at Tour & Taxis to offer "a captivating sensory journey into a fascinating and vanished civilization." The exhibition will also immerse the public in the authentic atmosphere of the period. Pompeian houses, artisan workshops and entertainment venues will be brought back to life.

A poignant audiovisual sequence will retrace the city’s final hours, capturing the tragedy “with realism and emotion”.