Paestum: from-the-Roman-City-to-today

A new section at the National Archaeological Museum.

IThe National Archaeological Museum of Paestum has inaugurated a new section entitled “Paestum: from the Roman city to today”, dedicated to the archaeologist Mario Torelli. This section, open to the public from 16 November 2024, explores the history of Paestum from the foundation of the Latin colony in 273 BC to the modern age.

The exhibition is organized like an archaeological excavation, presenting the historical layers from the oldest to the most recent. It starts in the basement with the “Prehistory and Protohistory” section, then goes up to the ground floor and the first floor with the “The Greco-Lucanian city” section and finally arrives on the second floor with the new section dedicated to Roman, late ancient, medieval and modern Paestum.

The “Paestum: from the Roman city to today” section offers an immersion in the life of the city in different historical periods, showing the evolution of religiosity, public and private spaces, coinage, prominent figures and everyday life. Among the exhibits, the bronze statue of the Silenus Marsyas and numerous unpublished objects from recent excavations or recovered from the museum’s deposits are noteworthy.

The itinerary continues with the “rediscovery” of Paestum in the 18th century, documented through the volume by G.B. and F. Piranesi with views of the temples, from the museum collection, and ten works including engravings, watercolors and gouaches from the Giambattista Vico Foundation. These works testify to the interest in Paestum during the Grand Tour and its representation in the imagination of nineteenth-century travelers. Finally, original documents and photographs illustrate the beginning of the excavations, studies and research in the twentieth century, activities that continue today for the protection and enhancement of the archaeological heritage of Paestum.

The new section was created thanks to the collaboration of various professional figures, including ministerial staff, freelancers and scholars from Italian and foreign universities and research institutions. The design followed high international standards to ensure an engaging visitor experience, with particular attention to accessibility and the removal of architectural, cognitive and cultural barriers.

The layout is supported by a clear and homogeneous museum communication system, with thematic panels and captions in Italian and English. Totems positioned along the route guide the visitor through the various subsections: “The Roman sanctuaries”, “Roman public life”, “The Roman settlement”, “The Roman necropolis”, “From Late Antiquity to the modern age”, “The rediscovery of Paestum”. Video stations, touchscreens, QR codes and other multimedia supports offer insights into the scientific and educational content.

Particular attention was paid to the display of coins, presented on inclined displays for better visibility and accompanied by photographic enlargements and video reproductions. This setup allows us to understand the role of money in the ancient city, from its production to its circulation and the different forms of use from the Roman age to the modern age.

Source: Editorial Staff | Paestumsites.it