Back to Pompeii Opens in Toronto With Roman Streets, VR and a Volcano Show
An ancient Roman street is taking shape in North York. Back to Pompeii opens at YZD on October 30, 2026, with reconstructed rooms, hands-on activities, a large projection show and walking virtual reality.
Rather than starting with the volcano, the exhibition begins with the people who lived in Pompeii. Visitors see how residents bought food, spent time at home and gathered in public spaces before Mount Vesuvius erupted in AD 79.
YZD lists the Toronto run through January 31, 2027. If you are considering a visit, here is what the ticket covers and how to plan your time.
Back to Pompeii Toronto: Quick Details
- Dates: October 30, 2026, to January 31, 2027.
- Location: YZD, 30 Hanover Road, North York, Toronto.
- Admission: Listed from C$20.90; rates and booking fees vary by date and ticket type.
- Time needed: Around 60 to 75 minutes, according to current visitor information.
- Ages: All ages are welcome; walking VR is for visitors aged seven and older.
- Accessibility: The venue is wheelchair accessible.
Step Into a Recreated Pompeian Street
The first part of the route focuses on the streets and buildings of a working Roman city. Visitors move through a Pompeian house and past a bakery, tavern, baths, school and a thermopolium, a counter that served prepared food.
These spaces bring smaller pieces of daily life into focus. The exhibit introduces Roman water systems, medicine, food and fragrances, alongside the graffiti that appeared on city walls.
Several stations also ask visitors to take part. At the school, you can practise Roman numerals with an abacus. Elsewhere, reconstructed shopfronts and public spaces show how people might have spent an ordinary day before the eruption.
For families, the recreated settings offer clear points of reference. Children can connect the history to buildings and objects, rather than trying to picture a city from dates alone.
The Earth Remembers Follows the City From Its Beginnings
A major section, called The Earth Remembers, uses projections across a 200-square-metre room. Organizers describe an approximately 20-minute sequence that moves from the region’s natural landscape to the growth of Pompeii and the eruption of Mount Vesuvius.
Images move across the walls and floor as roads, houses and shops appear. The city then gives way to tremors, ash and rock. Later scenes return to the buried settlement and the traces of its residents that survived.
It gives the disaster a human scale. Before the ash, there were people opening shops, writing on walls and moving between home and work.
Walking VR Brings Pompeii’s Final Hours Into View
The walking virtual reality portion places visitors inside a digital version of ancient Pompeii. Over roughly ten minutes, the route passes busy streets, traders and a laundry house before rising to a view of the city and its coastline.
The story later reaches an amphitheatre as signs of the eruption spread. From there, the journey shows the city beneath layers of volcanic material and returns to its remains centuries later.
The wider exhibition welcomes all ages, but Fever lists a minimum age of seven for walking VR. Visitors prone to motion sickness or dizziness should also read the ticketing page’s VR guidance before booking.
Tickets, Timing and Accessibility at YZD
The exhibition website advertises tickets from C$20.90. Fever offers standard, VIP and discounted categories, with prices changing by date and eligibility. Check the full checkout total, including any booking fee, before paying.
The exhibition takes place indoors at YZD, 30 Hanover Road in North York. Its visitor information lists wheelchair access, stroller access, paid parking and a pick-up zone near the building.
Plan for around 60 to 75 minutes based on the current exhibition website. You may want extra time for the interactive stations, photos or a rest along the route.
Personal photos are allowed, but tripods and professional camera equipment are not. A box office operates on site, although tickets for a preferred entry time may sell out. Booking ahead is the more reliable option.
Where to Find Tickets for Back to Pompeii
Before heading to YZD, check the official exhibition website for visitor guidance and the Fever ticket page for available dates, times and current prices.
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