Ancient Egypt
New galleries and gallery closures
We have started work on our new Ancient Worlds galleries, opening late Oct 2012, which will replace the current Ancient Egypt and Archaeology galleries. Ancient Egypt is now closed. Objects have been removed from Archaeology but you can still walk through it to get to our other galleries.
You can see many of the removed objects in our temporary exhibition Unearthed: Ancient Egypt, until 6 Sep 2012 on Floor G.
You can follow our progress on the Ancient Worlds blog.
The three new Ancient Worlds galleries will be called Discovering Archaeology, Egyptian World and Exploring Objects. Highlighting our collections from Manchester and the region, and from ancient civilizations such as Greece, Rome and Egypt, these galleries will reveal the stories behind the objects, through people who lived long ago as well as modern day archaeologists, historians and collectors.
The new Ancient Worlds galleries are supported by the National Lottery through the Heritage Lottery Fund, The Garfield Weston Foundation, The Monument Trust, The Headley Trust, The Stavros Niarchos Foundation, The Foundation for Sport and the Arts, The Barker Foundation, The Charlotte Bonham-Carter Charitable Trust and by the exhibition TUTANKHAMUN-HIS TOMB AND HIS TREASURES.
The Museum's Archaeology and Egyptology collections are on display in the 1912 Waterhouse extension. From reception go up the main staircase turn left at Maharajah the elephant, through the doorway and enter into the two galleries which take you back through thousands of years.
Daily Life
Manchester Museum is unusual in possessing such a wealth of material from "living sites" in ancient Egypt as well as from tombs. By using objects discovered at three important archaeological sites in Egypt this gallery gives you an idea of how people lived in Egypt thousands of years ago.
Kahun was a village where pyramid workmen lived around 1900BC.
Gurob was a town where Royals lived around 1450 BC
Tell el Amarna was the capital of Egypt, ruled around 1350 BC by king Akhenaten, who was probably the half brother of Tutankhamun.
Death and the Afterlife
In this gallery you can learn what the people of Ancient Egypt believed about death and the afterlife. From even before the time of the Paroahs - before 3100 BC through to the Roman Period - the 4th Cenury AD.
This is the gallery where amazing mummies on display along with their coffins and treasures they took with them into the afterlife. You can see the complete tomb of the "Two Brothers" with their coffins, mummies and other items used in the funeral rituals. In special sections you can see funerary masks, models of tombs and figurines and even animal mummies!
One particular piece of treasure to examine while you're here is the one of a kind piece of jewellery known as the "Riqqeh Pectoral"