Return of the Gods: Zeus, Athena, Hercules opens 28 April 2023

Enter a mythical world in this intriguing new exhibition at World Museum

Return of the Gods: Zeus, Athena, Hercules will open at World Museum on 28 April 2023 and will run until 25 February 2024.

Featuring a stunning collection of sculpture and antiquities, the exhibition will immerse you in the ancient world through the words of poets, music and drama.

Exploring the legends of the gods, goddesses and mortals from Ancient Greece and Rome, and including some of the most well-known characters such as the king of the gods Zeus, Athena the goddess of wisdom and war and the hero, Hercules, the exhibition will draw you into a fascinating world where the ancient gods were an important part of everyday life.

Follow the stories of birth, love and rivalry of the Olympian gods, and explore their characters and powers. The exhibition will explain how the Greek gods were adopted by the Romans and how they were worshipped publicly and in private.

Chrissy Partheni, Curator, Classical Antiquities at World Museum said:

We will be presenting the collections in a new, dramatic way, not simply as beautiful art objects. We want the characters of the gods and heroes and their interaction with mortals to shine. We want the 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 showcases the outstanding classical sculptures held by World Museum. Originally collected by the 18th century antiquarian Henry Blundell of Sefton, this is the first time we have displayed this incredible collection on such a scale. These internationally important sculptures are comparable in significance and quality to the Charles Townley collection at the British Museum and to Roman sculptures at the Vatican and the Louvre.

The house of Henry Blundell still stands in Ince Blundell, together with a Pantheon he built for his antiquities.

Visitors can enter a Roman villa to discover how Emperors and the Imperial families were immortalised after death, before entering a dark and ethereal space to explore the underworld in a theatrical display featuring the three-headed dog, Cerberus, guardian of the gates of Hades.

If visitors enjoy The Return of the Gods: Zeus, Athena, Hercules, we’re asking them to pay what they think is appropriate, to support our museums and art galleries. Visitor contributions enable us to offer a rich programme of exhibitions and events, supports us in caring for our internationally known collections and reaching thousands of young people each year.

Tickets are £8. Members and children go free.

For further information: liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/returnofthegods