The Roman National Museum at Palazzo Massimo is hosting a superb and original exhibition called “Mostri, creature fantastiche della paura e del mito” (Monsters, fantastic creatures of fear and myth). The show brings together over 100 works from 40 museums, depicting fantastical creatures, all in a series of dark passages intended to resemble the Minotaur’s labyrinth.

There are griffins, chimeras, gorgons, centaurs, sirens, satyrs, harpies, sphinxes, alongside the Minotaur, Scylla and Pegasus, all represented on different types of objects: sculptures, architectural decorations, vases, frescoes and mosaics. They range from the Bronze Age to Imperial Rome.

I explored the exhibition and was spellbound by the mythical creatures I saw. Here is a selection of some of my favorite “monstrous” artefacts.

This exhibition is monstrously beautiful and I would recommend anyone to go and see it. “Monsters: Fantastic Creatures of Fear and Myth,” is on view at the fabulous Palazzo Massimo until June 1, 2014. Visit the museum website for more info here.