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After three years of preparation, The National Constitution Center opened a fabulous new temporary exhibit last month. The exhibit, Ancient Rome & America, covers 8000 square feet of museum space and displays over 300 ancient artifacts along with modern and colonial pieces.

Having studied classics in college and being an American history buff, this was a must-see exhibit for me. But you don’t need extensive background knowledge (or even a middle school education) to enjoy it. There are even special interactive materials to help kids get the most out of the cultural comparison.

The exhibit focuses on drawing out the social, cultural, and political connections between ancient Rome and America, and elucidates just how essential the ancient society was to the creation of our own culture and government. The founding fathers looked to Rome as a model when crafting our nation, and you can see busts of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Ben Franklin wearing togas to prove it!

The exhibit places artifacts from ancient Rome alongside colonial and modern American symbols, drawing out the parallels between the Roman Empire and the United States. Comparisons range from the noble (bald eagles statues) to the not-so-noble (slave collars).

There’s also a bit of humor involved, apparent in the side-by-side display of gladiator helmets – the 2,000 year-old Roman one from the ancient city of Pompeii, and the modern one from the Eagles’ locker room (wide receiver Harold Carmichael’s football helmet)!

Ancient Rome & America
Now – August 1
www.constitutioncenter.org/rome

National Constitution Center
525 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106
(215) 409-6700
www.constitutioncenter.org