Bardo Museum

Bardo Museum

Attraction Introduction　

Located in the suburbs of Tunis, the Bardo Museum was formerly a royal palace and has been transformed into one of the world’s most renowned archaeological museums. Its premier collection consists of exquisite mosaic artworks unearthed from across the country, masterpieces created by the Romans who once ruled Tunisia.

The mosaics housed in the Bardo Museum were created roughly between the 2nd century BC and the 7th century AD. Their themes include Greek and Roman mythology and deities, domestic life, farming, and celebrations. These works also attest to the fact that agriculturally rich Tunisia was the “breadbasket of the Roman Empire.” Among the vast array of wall and floor mosaics, the 3rd-century piece “Poet and Muses” is the most refined and precious, considered the museum’s masterpiece.

This mosaic image, composed of tiny colored stones, was unearthed in Sousse in southern Tunisia. It depicts the Roman poet Virgil composing The Aeneid, with two Muses presiding over epic and tragic poetry attending to him on either side. The expressions of all three figures are delicately realistic and lifelike, with even the folds of their clothing rendered with remarkable clarity.

Another exquisite mosaic, also from the 3rd century and discovered in Dougga, illustrates a scene from Homer’s epic “The Odyssey.” It shows the protagonist Ulysses having his companions’ ears plugged with wax to protect them from the enchanting songs of the Sirens during their voyage. To ensure his own safety, he orders his men to tie him to the ship’s mast and instructs them not to untie him, no matter how much he begs—this way, he can enjoy the beautiful melodies without succumbing to the fatal allure of the three Sirens.

In addition, the Bardo Museum houses the world’s largest mosaic, which depicts the Triumph of Neptune.

Tunis, Tunisia