Since December, the National Museum of Australia has been taking visitors on a journey spanning 3,000 years through one of the world’s most fascinating cultures. The blockbuster Discovering Ancient Egypt has proved to be a hit and has surpassed all visitor records for a single show with close to 200,000 people experiencing the wonders since it opened.
First welcoming guests on 15 December 2023, numbers stand at 196,000 visitors with still more than a week before it closes its doors for the final time.
“Clearly visitors have loved it,” says Katherine McMahon, Director. “We are absolutely delighted to have had nearly 200,000 visits to this fabulous exhibition. We are proud to ensure Australians and other international visitors have been able to connect with an ancient culture and world they might not see otherwise.”
It isn’t just the objects in the exhibition that Ms McMahon thanks for the new attendance record, she says it is all thanks to the work of the passionate team at the museum.
“The success of this exhibition is a testament to the wonderful work of our people here and the passion and creativity they bring when connecting visitors to the past in new and dynamic ways. We have a vital role in providing audiences with unrivalled cultural and historical experiences that inspire and engage, and I couldn’t be more thrilled or prouder with what our team has achieved with this show.”
Walking through the incredible exhibition, you get the chance to experience artefacts from as far back as 3700 BCE to the 16th Century CE. More than 200 objects highlight the rituals and beliefs of the ancient Egyptians and tell the story of how their culture evolved and endured.
Known for their fascination with the afterlife, objects on display include striking coffins, rare Book of the Dead scrolls and intact mummified people as well as mummified animals like a cat and crocodile. Having the opportunity to pop in and visit the exhibition more than once, Ms McMahon was drawn to the objects that highlighted the ancient people’s belief in eternal life.
“It’s hard to go past the 10 larger-than-life coffins, decorated with hieroglyphic texts and scenes from the Book of the Dead on every available surface. In particular, the coffin of the priest Panesy. This remarkable coffin really demonstrates the care and respect the Egyptians had for their deceased.”
Intricate jewellery and ordinary household objects sit near each other and show the lives of the people, while sculptures and found objects share how archaeologists studied and recorded the lives of the ancient Egyptians.
“Visitors to Discovering Ancient Egypt encounter some truly remarkable objects of everyday life – including an almost 4,000-year-old woven basket in pristine condition used to store a variety of household items from food to linens, and a small stone oil lamp fragment, with the residue of soot from the burning wick that was once used to light a home thousands of years ago. The magic of this exhibition is in the stories of people, just like us, who lived, worked and played thousands of years ago – and what we can learn from what they left behind and the ongoing cultural influence of Egypt’s past today,” says Craig Middleton, Senior Curator.
The incredible display has been loaned to Australian museums from the Dutch National Museum of Antiquities (Rijksmuseum van Oudheden). Mr Middleton says it has been a privilege to work with the magnificent and rare ancient Egyptian artefacts and to present them to Australian audiences.
“The National Museum of Australia works hard to ensure that Australians from all walks of life can engage with the world’s cultures right here in Australia, and experience truly remarkable collections from around the world. We do what we do for the Australian public, and so to welcome such huge numbers of visitors to the exhibition suggests we are doing something right,” he smiles.
The second most popular exhibition since the Museum opened its doors was A History of the World in 100 Objects from the British Museum which welcomed 178,220 visitors between 9 September 2016 and 29 January 2017.
Nearing its end date, Ms McMahon says there is still time for visitors to experience the incredible and rare objects from the awe-inspiring culture.
“Discovering Ancient Egypt offers people the opportunity to immerse themselves in an ancient culture enduring over many thousands of years and that continues to inspire and intrigue.”
The director says that the blockbusters are set to continue at the museum. We should know more in the coming weeks, but for now, their lips are sealed.
“We can’t give too much away right now, but we can say it is going to be as sensational as our ancient Egypt exhibition. So, watch this space,” smiles Ms MacMahon.
See why everyone loves Discovering Ancient Egypt at the National Museum of Australia until 8 September; nma.gov.au
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