Welcome to Rome: Interactive Virtual Show on Ancient Roman History

Physicist and science communicator Paco Lanciano has launched Welcome to Rome, a permanent virtual and interactive exhibition inside the former Cinema Augustus on Corso Vittorio Emanuele II in Rome. The project transforms a long-closed venue into a multifunctional space where visitors can experience an immersive journey through Rome's millennial history. The show, titled 'Storia della Città: l’evoluzione di Roma nello spazio e nel tempo,' uses cutting-edge technology including projections, animated scale models, holograms, and cartographic displays across multiple stations. The space is divided into three zones: an atrium with ticketing and future bookshop, a museum area with interactive exhibitions, and a main hall featuring a large-scale model of Rome that lights up to show the city's evolution from its mythical founding through the Republican and Imperial eras to the Papal period. A narrator guides the experience in eight languages. The project follows Lanciano's previous collaborations with Piero Angela at Palazzo Valentini, the Forum of Augustus, and the Forum of Caesar. Lanciano stated he aimed to create an immersive story of Rome suitable for all ages, welcoming tourists and instilling pride in Romans. The initiative is privately funded and aims to enrich Rome's cultural offerings, though Lanciano expressed frustration that the city government has not promoted it more actively.