MELBOURNE MUSEUM GOES FULL ROMAN: DINING, CINEMA AND CULTURE COLLIDE FOR ROME: EMPIRE, POWER, PEOPLE
Melbourne Museum today announces a vibrant season of hospitality collaborations and cultural experiences to accompany its blockbuster exhibition ROME: Empire, Power, People, opening 1 April.
Anchored by an exclusive outpost by beloved Italian food emporium Brunetti Classico throughout the exhibition’s season, the program will transform Melbourne Museum into a hub celebrating the enduring influence of Roman and Italian culture through food, film, art, and language.
Extending beyond the exhibition itself, visitors are also invited to the likes of Drawing Under the Dome classes under the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Royal Exhibition Building’s Dome, and an Italian-inspired film series at IMAX Melbourne.
Influenced by Brunetti Classico’s rich heritage and pastry origins in Rome, the Brunetti Classico at Melbourne Museum pop-up will serve savoury classics like pizza al taglio (pizza by the slice) prepared in the classic Roman style and antipasti featuring premium suppliers, including Floridia Cheese, along with pasticceria favourites like cannoli and lobster tail.
Melbourne Museum’s dine-in Mercury Restaurant will play host to a reimagined Italian-influenced menu, with select dishes developed by Italian hospitality greats, Chef Joe Di Cintio (Joey D) of Grazia Restaurant and Grazia D’Asporto, and Mirco Speri of Buono Ristorante and Sincero.
Visitors will be invited to experience a series of special events and programs throughout the season, including IL GRANDE CINEMA SERIES at IMAX Melbourne, presented by Il Globo.
Spanning epic historical spectacle and visionary filmmaking, IL GRANDE CINEMA SERIES will celebrate the enduring influence of Italian cinematic storytelling, from the arena drama of GLADIATOR I and II to the iconic horror masterpiece SUSPIRIA (1977) and more.
In partnership with the Italian Australian Foundation, the Royal Exhibition Building will provide a dramatic setting for Drawing Under the Dome sessions. The building’s ornate Dome, inspired by Filippo Brunelleschi’s Florence Cathedral’s Il Duomo, will encourage artists-to-be to explore the Italian origins of linear perspective.
New adult courses accompanying ROME: Empire, Power, People, will explore the ambition, artistry and everyday life of Ancient Rome through curator insights, lectures and guided exhibition experiences, supported by the Italian Australian Foundation.
Presented with CO.AS.IT, Italian-language tours will also be available for schools, families and community groups, while the Italian Conversation Club invites adult learners to practise their language skills while exploring Ancient Rome.
Quote attributable to Lynley Croswell, Museums Victoria CEO and Director:
‘Melbourne Museum’s rich program will extend the exhibition experience, offering visitors new ways to connect with and celebrate the ideas, art and culture that shaped life in Ancient Rome. Victoria’s Italian community has contributed to our state’s culture and identity and we are proud to partner with a range of Italian organisations and businesses to bring this museum-wide experience to life.’
Quote attributable to Fabio Angele, owner of Brunetti Classico:
‘Brunetti Classico has always carried Rome in its DNA. My father commenced his career at a Pasticceria there, and those traditions travelled with our family to Melbourne. Now, in a way, Rome is coming back to us — and it feels like the stars have aligned.’
ROME: Empire, Power, People opens April 1 at Melbourne Museum. Exhibition tickets are on sale at ROME: Empire, Power, People | What’s on | Melbourne Museum
About Rome: Empire, Power, People
Exclusive to Melbourne Museum, ROME: Empire, Power, People explores the civilisation of ancient Rome through 180 objects from the collections of two of Italy’s most prestigious museums, Museo Nazionale Romano and Museo Archeologico di Firenze. From power, ambition, luxury and spectacle to family and community life, the exhibition reveals the grandeur of imperial power alongside the everyday experiences of Romans.
Designed by Museums Victoria and developed in collaboration with Contemporanea Progetti and curators from Museo Nazionale Romano and Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Firenze, the exhibition is presented with the support of the Ministero della Cultura, Dipartimento per la valorizzazione del patrimonio culturale and Direzione regionale Musei nazionali Toscana.
Flexi Adult $38.50, Adult $35, Senior $30, Concession $30, Member Adult $28, Child (3-16 years) $15, Education-Student $14, Member Child (3-16 years) $12
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