Watch: 5 reasons to see the Return of the Gods exhibition at World Museum Liverpool

They were the original influencers and superheroes who played an important part in everyday life, and now visitors to World Museum Liverpool can enter their mythical world to explore the lives, loves and legacy of the Ancient Greek and Roman gods.

Return of the Gods is an amazing new exhibition that’s on until early next year and, as Chrissy Partheni, curator of Classical Antiquities, explains, it’s more than just your average display.

“We want the characters of the gods and heroes and their interaction with mortals to shine, so we will be presenting the collections in a new, dramatic way, not simply as beautiful art objects,” she says. “We want visitors to immerse themselves in the fantastic tales and myths of the classical antiquity world and to feel they are taking part in public festivals, games, and in the worship of special cults of ancient Greece and Rome.”

The exhibition features a stunning collection of more than 100 sculptures and objects that have never been displayed together before and if that’s not enough to get you down there, here’s five things that will…

1. Thanks to cartoon-style characters in Disney films we’ve all heard of legends like Hercules and Zeus, but this is the chance to get to know the fantastical stories behind them and find out more about the gods and goddesses from Ancient Greece and Rome, like Zeus who was king of the gods, Athena the goddess of wisdom and war, and Hercules, the hero. Myths will come to life as you learn how Apollo, god of music, slayed a snake to build his temple, and Artemis, the goddess of the hunt, turned a shepherd into a stag so she could bathe in peace.

2. Highlights include incredible two-metre-high statues of Zeus, Aphrodite, and Athena, and amphoras (two handled ceramic pots), which are more than 2000 years old, and weigh up to 1,200kg.  They were originally collected by the 18th century antiquarian Henry Blundell of Sefton, and this is the first time ever this significant collection of sculptures will be displayed on such a scale.

3. Gods and goddesses might have ruled the earth thousands of years ago but their influence continues even now. One of them was Asclepius, God of Medicine, who was famous for his snake and staff, a symbol which can still be seen in the world of medicine today.

4.  You get the chance to enter a luxurious Roman villa to explore the joys of Roman feasts and discover how Emperors and the Imperial families were immortalised after death. You can even explore the underworld in a theatrical display featuring the three-headed dog, Cerberus, guardian of the gates of Hades.

5. It’s a family friendly exhibition and there will be a packed programme of events to accompany it from challenges, clay workshops and craft sessions, to a four-week short course exploring 3,000 years of Ancient Greek History this summer. 

Tickets are £8 for adults and members and children 17-and-under go free. (You can also add £5 to your ticket to go on a guided tour each Tuesday at 11am to learn more about the collections).

 * Return of the Gods exhibition is on until February 25, 2024, at World Museum Liverpool

Find out more and book your tickets HERE.

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