‘Aphrodite – the Making of a Goddess’
Ashmolean Museum, Oxford
8 October 2026 – 11 April 2027
Step into the world of Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love, beauty, and desire – later worshipped by the Romans as Venus.
Today she is thought of as a symbol of passion and beauty, but her story is far older and more complex.
This major exhibition will explore Aphrodite’s beginnings on the island of Cyprus, where she was worshipped as an all-powerful goddess over 3,000 years ago, and will trace her journey through the Greek and into the Roman world, where she became Venus.
The exhibition will reveal how, over the centuries, Aphrodite evolved into an iconic figure symbolising love and beauty as her myths and images flourished – inspiring art, literature, and imagination from the Renaissance to the present day,
Featuring more than 200 extraordinary objects – from sculpture and bronzes to gems and terracottas from Cyprus, Greece, and Italy, dating back from around 1400 BCE to the 21st century – this exhibition will uncover the making of a goddess whose legacy still shapes our ideas of love and beauty today.
See more and book tickets here.
Note: this is a fee-paying event run by an organisation which is not affiliated to, or funded by, the Classical Association. Please contact the organisers directly with any enquiries.
