Through mythology, objects, and archaeological evidence, the exhibition portrays a world in constant motion, in which people travelled alongside goods, knowledge, skills and beliefs. These encounters profoundly shaped societies, inspiring curiosity as well as fear and sometimes giving rise to the rejection of others, religious tensions and epidemics. Ancient societies responded to migrations in different ways, ranging from welcome and integration to exclusion and distancing.

The Fondation is contributing to this exhibition by lending two works: a relief written in hieroglyphs bearing the epithets and names of Alexander the Great, whose empire was built on strategies of conquest and cultural assimilation, and a bust of Zeus-Serapis. Through these objects and many others, the exhibition draws parallels between ancient views on migrations and those of today. It invites visitors to reflect on the present in light of the past, exploring issues that are still relevant: identity, integration and belonging.