Rome’s Palazzo Valentini, off of Piazza Venezia, was originally built starting in 1585.  Throughout the centuries it was a residence, a library, a theater and eventually the seat of the Provincia di Roma. More recently, excavations under the palazzo have revealed various Roman “domus” or noble residences which have been turned into a “multimedia museum.”  Visitors follow a set path and virtual reconstructions and videos recreate the past.  At the end of the tour is an exhibition on the area around Trajan’s column and a video gives a close up view of the column and explains the story that is told in its bas-reliefs.  The whole visit takes about an hour and is truly fascinating: technology aids the imagination in bringing the past to life.