"Pompeii the Exhibit: Life and Death in the Shadow of Vesuvius"

Artifacts unearthed at the site of the Roman city of Pompeii are the focus of this exhibit, which looks at the events surrounding the deadly, 79 A.D. eruption of Mount Vesuvius that destroyed the bustling town. The largest display is an unnerving collection of body casts—molds made by pouring plaster into impressions left in the hardened lava. Brave kids can also experience a visceral re-creation of the volcanic explosion: The floor shakes, bright lights flash, and air rushes at visitors as a short simulation plays out on oversize screens.