Reflecting on Responses to Asru: an open discussion
The mummified body of an ancient Egyptian woman called Asru was unwrapped in Manchester 200 years ago, in 1825. She has been on public display almost ever since.
Over the past six months Manchester Museum has, for the first time, directly invited our audiences to give their feedback on whether we should continue to display Asru’s body.
At this event, led by Manchester Museum’s Curator of Egypt and Sudan, Dr Campbell Price, you’ll have a chance to find out what we know about Asru and how she has been displayed, as well as learning what visitors have said about her current display?
There will then be a panel discussion, looking at everything we know while balancing learning, curiosity and respect.
This sharing is part of a much larger piece of work ongoing that seeks to engage with local audiences as well as Egyptian communities, both diasporic and in Egypt, to inform how we now treat, care for and best respect Asru. This initial reflection event will be an opportunity to hear from staff at Manchester Museum and students from the University of Manchester who have worked on the consultation and who regularly engage with Museum visitors about Asru and the Egypt and Sudan Gallery.