Romarnas bild- och utställningsrum

This article attempts to give a view of how the Romans provided means of reception of the ‘cultural heritage’ and art exhibitions. The different modes of exhibition are discussed in context of the three different venues of reception: the public sphere (negotium), the semi-pu- blic sphere of the Roman atrium, and the sphere of the private house (otium). The article also remarks on the formalized management and policy concerning the cultural heritage that developed in Rome from the time of Augustus. Particular emphasis is made on the role of the new office of curator created by Augustus. The con- clusion is that exhibitions formed an important part of Roman culture from the late Republic until late Anti- quity, but had different functions in different contexts.