British Museum Moves into Alternative Cinema Content

Cinemas across the UK are to broadcast live private viewings of the British Museum’s major exhibition Life and Death in Pompeii and Herculaneum on 18 and 19 June.

The exhibition, which runs until 29 September, is the first ever held on these important cities at the British Museum. Focussing on the Roman home and lives of the people who lived nearly 2000 years ago in Pompeii and Herculaneum, the unique live broadcast event will take cinema audiences back in time in the company of renowned experts and practitioners who, alongside live performances of music, poetry and eye-witness accounts, will bring to life extraordinary objects, some never seen outside Italy before. Interviews throughout the exhibition will be intercut with stunning specially recorded films in Italy, showing Pompeii and Herculaneum and the sleeping Vesuvius.

Curator Paul Roberts presents Life and Death in Pompeii and Herculaneum. Photo credit: Trustees of the British Museum.

Visitors will be taken along a Roman street and into a local house with atrium entrance, bedroom, kitchen, dining room, sitting room and garden.  Experts will take audiences close up to the famous casts of the people caught in the volcanic heat and showcase the objects from their daily lives. Examples include intricate pieces of jewellery, sculpture, mosaics, cooking equipment and even food including an intact loaf of bread with the baker’s stamp still on it.

“Following the success of live cinema broadcasts of theatre, opera and ballet, the British Museum is thrilled to produce and broadcast its live exhibition event,” says British Museum director Neil MacGregor. “This is a unique experience for audiences across the country to enjoy a very special evening view of this unmissable exhibition, full of fascinating objects lent to us from Italy, from the comfort of a cinema chair. It will be a very personal tour guided by experts who will explore the stories these special objects tell us of Roman life 2000 years ago. We hope this will inspire people to travel to come and see the exhibition at the British Museum”.

Curator Paul Roberts presents Life and Death in Pompeii and Herculaneum. Photo credit: Trustees of the British Museum.

The event will be shown through all the major UK cinema groups including Vue, Cineworld, Picturehouse, Empire, Curzon and Odeon as well as independent venues across the UK, all of whom have growing alternative content audiences. Tim Richards, CEO of Vue Entertainment said: "We are hugely excited to be working with the British Museum. This is a wonderful opportunity to continue our commitment in pushing the boundaries of traditional cinema exhibition. Not only are we helping to bring the epic and immense story of Pompeii and Herculaneum to a regional audience, but we're doing it in a unique, intimate and affordable way that will undoubtedly appeal to our customers."

John Travers, Alternative Content Manager at Cineworld, said: “At Cineworld we have embraced this exciting and innovative project, as we recognise that it's a unique opportunity for our customers to experience this once in a life time exhibition in their local Cineworld cinema. As such, we have committed to show these two live events, for both the general public and primary schools, in up to 70 of our cinemas.”

The British Museum will broadcast the adult premiere on 18 June followed by a live transmission for school children across the country on 19 June. Schools all over the UK will have the opportunity to visit their local cinema for a fun, interactive show which will enhance cross curriculum learning.

Follow updates on the exhibition via Twitter on #PompeiiExhibition and the Museum’s Twitter account @britishmuseum.