A dive into the past through a multisensory experience, to learn about and discover in detail the historical realities of Herculaneum and Pompeii before the Vesuvius eruption of 79 AD. This is the mission of MAV, a facility located in the heart of Herculaneum that offers a new way to enjoy culture. Visitors are transported into a faithfully reconstructed virtual setting, thanks to the use of the most modern technologies. The journey begins after passing through a sort of ancestral gate that dematerializes bodies into the streams of connective intelligence and leads to the discovery of the names and faces of ancient Herculaneans, through whom one learns the history of the community and their lifestyle. Along the Bourbon tunnels, visitors can glimpse the magnificent building of the Villa of the Papyri, where the Greek philosopher Philodemus gathered with his friends in a garden similar to an Athenian kepos. Passing through a scorching cloud preludes the discovery of the houses and monuments of the ancient Vesuvian cities shown in their splendor; wandering among such beauties, one sees an ancient chest that guards wonderful jewels shown to the visitor in holographic form. Continuing the journey, one enters the library of the Villa of the Papyri, which reveals the fragments and thoughts of Herculanean philosophers and poets. Amid voices, images, and market cries, visitors move to an environment where an interactive table is positioned that, at the slightest touch, shows the customs and habits of the peoples who inhabited the territory. A dark corner then lights up with some of the most beautiful Vesuvian wall paintings, navigable in enlarged format to show every detail. The practice of leisure in pursuit of pleasure, dear to the Epicureans, is intimately part of the Roman world; light thermal vapors introduce the characteristic paintings found in brothels and suburban baths of ancient Pompeii. The last installation is an animated reconstruction of the forum of Pompeii, the city’s vital center, suggesting to visitors a synthesis of the transformation of places over the last 2000 years. More than a cultural visit, a unique journey into the past.
Information about MAV – Virtual Archaeological Museum
Via 4 Novembre, 44
80056 Herculaneum (Naples)
0817776843 or 0817776784
info@museomav.it
Source: MIBACT
