Colosseum hosts Sappho exhibition from 15 October 2026

The Colosseum (Colosseo) in Rome is now linked to Sappho. The Spirit of Poetry, an exhibition that opened on 15 October 2026 at the Farnese Aviaries on the Palatine Hill. The presentation is part of the programme of the Colosseum Archaeological Park and gives travellers a current reason to include the Palatine alongside the better-known amphitheatre.

The exhibition continues until 31 January 2027. It focuses on Sappho, the surviving female voice of archaic Greek literature identified by the park as the subject of the show.

Sappho exhibition opens at the Farnese Aviaries

The official event page places the exhibition at the Farnese Aviaries on the Palatine Hill, within the Colosseum Archaeological Park, from 15 October 2026 to 31 January 2027. The park promotes the exhibition, Electa organises it and Silvia Romani curates it.

The subject connects literature, archaeology and later interpretations of Sappho. The Farnese Aviaries therefore provide the setting for a temporary cultural programme inside the archaeological park, rather than an event staged in the Colosseum’s arena. The official Sappho exhibition page records the dates, venue, promoter, organiser and curator.

The Palatine setting places poetry beside Roman remains

The Farnese Aviaries stand on the Palatine, one of the archaeological areas managed by the park. The wider site also includes the Colosseum, the Roman Forum and the Domus Aurea, so the exhibition sits within a connected group of monuments rather than a standalone gallery district.

The Colosseum itself is the Flavian Amphitheatre. The park says it was built in the first century CE at the behest of the Flavian emperors and used in antiquity for public spectacles, including animal hunts and gladiatorial games. Its changing functions and appearance place the new exhibition within a monument that has repeatedly been adapted across the centuries. Further background is provided by the park’s page on the Flavian Amphitheatre.

The wider historic centre of Rome, including the Colosseum and the Roman and Imperial Forums, has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1980. That heritage setting gives the 2026 exhibition a precise context: visitors encounter a modern interpretation of an ancient literary figure within an archaeological landscape protected for its layered history.

Visiting Colosseum: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• Sappho. The Spirit of Poetry runs from 15 October 2026 to 31 January 2027 at the Farnese Aviaries on the Palatine Hill.
• The exhibition is located inside the Colosseum Archaeological Park, whose visitor areas include the Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine.
• The site contains frequent changes in altitude, and the park notes that its ancient structures are not always fully accessible despite ramps, lifts and elevators.
• Rome is in Italy, where Italian is the official language and the national currency is the euro.

The exhibition’s Palatine location makes the date relevant to a visit beyond the amphitheatre itself. It adds a temporary indoor cultural stop to a park whose monuments also include the Roman Forum and Palatine remains.

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Frequently asked questions about Colosseum

When does Sappho. The Spirit of Poetry take place at the Colosseum?

The exhibition runs from 15 October 2026 to 31 January 2027 at the Farnese Aviaries on the Palatine Hill.

What is the Colosseum Archaeological Park?

It is the archaeological site that includes the Colosseum, Roman Forum, Palatine and Domus Aurea.

Where is the Colosseum and how do you get there?

The site is in Rome, Italy, with the exhibition located on the Palatine Hill inside the Colosseum Archaeological Park.