Delizioso! Visitors to the Pompeii exhibition at Oxford’s Ashmolean Museum are being invited to complete their tour with an authentic taste of Italy inspired by the show.

The Beaumont Street museum has re-styled its popular basement cafe as a Roman-style Taberna, with photographs of frescos and mosaics from the exhibition displayed on walls and tables and a menu inspired by the flavours of the Bay of Naples.

The culinary delights are going down a storm with history buffs who have been descending on the museum for the exhibition, Last Supper in Pompeii, which explores the history of the tragic Roman city through food and drink. It has proved so popular that the museum plans to re-style the cafe for successive shows – such as its forthcoming Rembrandt exhibition, for which a Dutch-inspired menu will be created.

Theresa Nicolson, the museum’s marketing manager, said: “We thought it would be fun to ring the changes in the cafe to reflect whatever exhibition is on upstairs.

“We have reproduced some of the pieces from the exhibition on the walls and tables and the menu now has a nod to Italy.

“It is a celebration of our exhibition, which is proving extremely popular, and visitors have enjoyed immersing themselves in the Pompeian vibe.”

Read more: See the treasures of Pompeii without leaving Oxford

Oxford Mail:

The café is open from 10am-4.30pm. The exhibition Last Supper in Pompeii runs until January 12. Book tickets at ashmolean.org.

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