Parthenope. The Siren and the City — exhibition at the MANN in Naples

Parthenope. The Siren and the City — at the MANN in Naples

An exhibition that weaves together myth, archaeology, art and cultural anthropology to explore Naples' relationship with its legendary founder, Parthenope. Held at the National Archaeological Museum of Naples (MANN), the show features more than 250 works dated from the 8th century BC to the present, offering a chronological and thematic journey through the siren's representations.

The display brings together objects from over forty museums in Italy, Europe and the Americas, along with items from private collections and recent metro excavations, some shown for the first time.

What the exhibition presents

• Founding myth: the Homeric account of Parthenope and Odysseus and the legend of the islet of Megaride.
• Iconographic shifts: the siren's transformation from half-woman/half-bird to half-woman/half-fish.
• Urban and ritual context: the Siren's political and religious function in Neapolis and the Greek settlement on Pizzofalcone promontory.
• Works on display: over 250 items spanning classical archaeology to modern and contemporary interpretations.
• Site-specific work: an in-situ intervention by Francisco Bosoletti in the MANN atrium, focused on Parthenope's fabled plunge.

Why visit

• It offers a multidisciplinary reading of the myth across art, music, audiovisual media and popular tradition.
• It includes previously unseen finds and international loans that illuminate the city's past.
• It shows how myth shaped Naples' urban identity over centuries.

Practical information

The exhibition is open until July 6 at the National Archaeological Museum of Naples. For opening times, access rules and ticketing, check the museum's official channels before planning your visit.

Author: Redazione