Temporary exhibitions of ancient Egyptian antiquities currently touring several countries are drawing strong public interest and record visitor numbers, underscoring the enduring global appeal of Egypt’s ancient civilization and its pull for cultural tourism.
Since opening last autumn, the exhibition “Treasures of the Pharaohs” in Rome has attracted about 120,000 visitors. In Hong Kong, “Ancient Egypt Uncovered: Treasures from Egyptian Museums” has drawn around 90,000 visitors since November. Meanwhile, “Ramses and the Gold of the Pharaohs” has received roughly 420,000 visitors at its current stop in Tokyo since opening there in March, according to Egyptian officials.
Tourism and Antiquities Minister Sherif Fathy stated that traveling shows are among Egypt’s most effective tools for promoting cultural tourism, helping international audiences appreciate the country’s archaeological wealth and encouraging visits to the sites where the artifacts originated. He added that these exhibitions strengthen Egypt’s competitiveness as a global tourism destination.
Mohamed Ismail Khaled, secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, stated that the overseas success reflects a focus on presenting artifacts within a careful scientific and museum framework that emphasizes their historical and cultural context and original locations. He added that this approach helps connect global audiences with Egypt’s archaeological sites, highlights their geographic and chronological diversity, and promotes heritage conservation and awareness.
The Rome exhibition features about 130 artefacts selected from the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir and the Luxor Museum, presenting key aspects of ancient Egyptian civilization, including kingship, the royal court, religious beliefs, daily life, funerary practices and the afterlife.
In Hong Kong, “Ancient Egypt Uncovered” displays 250 artefacts drawn from several Egyptian museums, including those in Tahrir, Matrouh, Kafr El-Sheikh, Luxor and Sohag. The exhibition also includes recently discovered items from Saqqara, as well as selected pieces previously shown in the Shanghai Museum’s “Pyramid Peak: Ancient Egyptian Civilization” exhibition.
“Ramses and the Gold of the Pharaohs” features around 180 artifacts, including the sarcophagus of King Ramses II from the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization, objects from the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir dating to his reign, and finds from Egyptian archaeological missions at the Bubasteion area in Saqqara, along with pieces from other national collections.
Together, the exhibits highlight distinctive features of ancient Egyptian civilization from the Middle Kingdom through the Late Period, featuring statues, jewellery, cosmetic tools, reliefs, inscribed stone blocks and painted wooden coffins.
The global tour of “Ramses and the Gold of the Pharaohs” began in Houston in November 2021, followed by San Francisco in August 2022, Paris in April 2023, Sydney in November 2023, Cologne in July 2024 and its current stop in Japan.
MENA
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AloJapan.com