It is the end of August, 79 A.D., and Pompeii is a bustling Roman city. It’s summer, the weather is hot and dry, the sea is swelling and the ground is vibrating slightly. Nature is talking, but no one is listening.

Suddenly, the mountain explodes as nearby Mt. Vesuvius violently erupts. Ash and pumice rain down from the sky and 20,000 people perish; the people and their city lay buried and forgotten for 1,700 years.

But what nature destroyed, it also preserved. Now you can journey back in time to experience A Day in Pompeii and discover everyday life in this ancient Roman city. Visitors of all ages will marvel at hundreds of exceptional objects: room-size frescoes, marble sculptures, gold coins and exquisite jewelry.

A Day in Pompeii will make its final stop in the United States at Discovery Place in Charlotte. The exhibition runs July 11, 2008 – Jan. 4, 2009.

Discovery Place is located in Uptown Charlotte at 301 N. Tryon Street. For more information about Discovery Place, call (704) 372-6261 or visit discoveryplace.org.