Discovering Ancient Egypt

Ancient Egyptian civilisation, with its vast history and culture spanning over 3,000 years, has been a source of fascination for people around the world.

Stunning objects on loan from the Rijksmuseum van Oudheden’s treasured Egyptian and Nubian collection, alongside theatrical digital experiences and hands-on activities, will take visitors on a fascinating journey through Ancient Egypt. From early European exploration to cutting-edge modern research, the exhibition unveils the lifestyles of the ancient Egyptians, their society, their views on life and death, their aesthetic sense of colour and shape as well as their medical knowledge and the process of mummification.

The exhibition includes 250 objects, including intricately decorated coffins and mummies alongside extracts from the Book of the Dead, jewellery, amulets, shabti and an array of other funerary objects and tools. Of particular interest is most of the mummies in this collection have kept their original cloth bandages. While some museums in the world with mummy collections have removed the cloth wrapping for research, Rijkmuseum van Oudheden founding director J.C. Reuvens understood the irreversible damage the unwrapping caused and waited for future technological advances. For this exhibition, recent CT scans have been conducted on three mummified human bodies and one animal mummy with the results of the analysis being made public in Australia for the first time.

Visitors will also discover the fascinating stories and behind-the-scenes insights into the Rijksmuseum van Oudheden’s current research expeditions and the unique working relationship that it has with colleagues in museums, universities and other research institutions in both Egypt and Europe.

Stela of Huy, image courtesy Rijksmuseum van Oudheden, Leiden.