On a trip to Italy some years ago I did include a tour of Pompeii where on one day in August 79 A.D. the city and its people disappeared following an eruption on nearby Mount Vesuvius.  I found it a memorable experience.
So when I learned that the California Science Center was holding an exhibition on Pompeii and the aftermath of the disaster seeing it was a must for this Writer.
The Exhibition opened in May and will continue through the rest of the year and is a most worthwhile experience for all ages.
Actually I learned more about Pompeii, its people and their way of life from this exhibition than I did from the tour taken on site years before.
There are exhibits  on foods produced and consumed, cooking utensils of the time,  dining habits, entertainment from Gladiators to Brothels. and public baths.   Fast food is not new, Pompeii had hundreds of street stalls and eateries to serve its 20,000 inhabitants.
There is one exhibit which simulates the events as they occurred on the day of the disaster with earthquakes, explosions and finally the covering of ash and debris
For more information about viewing Pompeii, The Exhibition at the California Science Center call 323 Science, on the web at www.californiasciencecenter.org.