The Roman Empire is coming to Melbourne in 2026

Out of the history books and into our homes, Melbourne Museum has announced an epic exhibition on the Roman Empire, to open April 2026.
Image of a musem sculpture of a stone head with a missing nose. Roman Empire

In a Melbourne exclusive, the exhibition ROME: Empire, Power, People will draw on the collections of two of Italy’s most prestigious museums – Museo Nazionale Romano and Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Firenze – to allow Australians to dive into Rome’s political, cultural and social life across one of the greatest eras in history.

‘This exhibition offers a once-in-a-lifetime chance to stand before treasures nearly 2,000 years old and feel the pulse of a civilisation that shaped the world,’ says Lynley Crosswell, CEO and Director of Museums Victoria. 

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Gina Fairley is ArtsHub's National Visual Arts Editor. For a decade she worked as a freelance writer and curator across Southeast Asia and was previously the Regional Contributing Editor for Hong Kong based magazines Asian Art News and World Sculpture News. Prior to writing she worked as an arts manager in America and Australia for 14 years, including the regional gallery, biennale and commercial sectors. She is based in Mittagong, regional NSW. Twitter: @ginafairley Instagram: fairleygina