Egyptian Mummies: Exploring Ancient Lives

Exhibition
Exhibition closed, 30 April 2017 Powerhouse Museum

World premiere exhibition at the Powerhouse Museum, Sydney.

Think you know mummies? Think again.

Come face-to-face with six ancient Egyptian mummies and use the latest technology to go beyond the wrappings and discover what lies beneath in Egyptian Mummies: Exploring Ancient Lives, on until 30 April 2017.

Six mummies selected from the British Museum collection who lived and died in Egypt between 1800 and 3000 years ago will be on display alongside their 3D CT scan visualisations that unlock hidden secrets of mummification and provide a unique insight into the everyday lives of ancient Egyptians.

Did these mummified individuals suffer from poor health during their life? What is the significance of the paintings that adorn a coffin? How were bodies mummified to grant the deceased eternal life in the netherworld? These and other questions are answered by the mummies themselves, thanks to the cutting-edge technology utilised in this exhibition, and the age, sex, identity, state of health and mummification of each mummy will be revealed.

Although these mummies are still wrapped, technological developments have enabled curators and researchers to virtually explore the lives of six ancient Egyptians and reveal the secrets of the mummies while preserving and respecting their original condition.

The presentation of this exhibition is a collaboration between the British Museum and the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences.

Visitors are advised that this exhibition contains human remains and CT scan images of mummified human remains.

Please note, strollers must be parked at the cloaking desk on level 3 of the Museum prior to entering the exhibition.

Download media release here

Please note, this exhibition includes works that are protected under the Protection of Cultural Objects on Loan Act 2013. MAAS is an approved borrowing institution under the PCOL Act. For more information please see our Protection of Cultural Objects on Loan page.

Tickets

Adult: $27
Concession: $25
Child (4–16): $16
Family (2 adults and 2 children or 1 adult and 3 children): $65

Pre-book online now and save.

Tickets include general admission to Powerhouse Museum.

Visiting from interstate?
Book an exhibition package including tickets to the exhibition, flights and accommodation here with Virgin Australia.

Pre-book your tickets through Ticketek and save. You'll also avoid disappointment on sold out days, avoid the queues and ensure you're able to see the exhibition on the day that you would like. When a session sells out, tickets are not available for purchase at the box office.

Pre-booked Ticket Prices

Adult: $26
Concession: $24
Child (4–16 years): $15.30
Family (2 adults + 2 children or 1 adult + 3 children): $61.20

Box Office Ticket Prices

Adult: $27
Concession: $25
Child (4–16 years): $16
Family (2 adults + 2 children or 1 adult + 3 children): $65

Children under 4 are free. No ticket is required.

MAAS Members

Unlimited entry to the exhibition is included for MAAS Members. You must show your membership card and photo ID on the day of your visit. Not a MAAS Member? Sign-up here.

Group and school bookings

Are you planning to visit in a group of 10 or more people? Purchase group tickets and save. Visit Ticketek Groups or call 1300 364 001 or email groupbookings@ticketek.com.au to make a group booking.

Gift vouchers

Give that special someone the perfect gift – a ticket to see the world-wide premiere of Egyptian Mummies: Exploring Ancient Lives.

Gift vouchers are untimed and undated, so can be used any day of the exhibition season for the next available session until 30 April 2017.

Come face-to-face with six ancient Egyptian mummies and use the latest technology to discover what lies beneath. Explore thousands of years of history through more than 200 Egyptian artefacts direct from the British Museum and unlock the mysteries of mummification in this world premiere exhibition at the Powerhouse Museum, Sydney.

Gift Voucher Prices

Adult: $32

Concession: $30

Junior (4–15 years): $20.30

Family: $66.20

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Plan Your Experience

All the information you need to plan your visit is available on the Powerhouse Museum venue page, including:

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Exhibition Events

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Discover More

The Mummies

Discover what lies beneath the wrappings and unlock the mummies’ hidden secrets.

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Learning Resources

These additional background materials are designed to enhance your enjoyment of this exhibition.

Teachers may find the ideas shared here useful in the preparation of classroom learning experiences or to add value before and/or after your Museum visit.

Background Information

Includes background information about the exhibition, CT scanning, the provenance of objects, the care and treatment of human remains, Egyptology in Australia, the six mummies, and about ancient Egypt.

Background Information (PDF, 128 KB)

Word Banks

Word Banks are useful vocabulary lists related to exhibitions for classroom use.

Word Bank – Historical Terms and Concepts (PDF, 114 KB)

Word Bank – Egyptian Gods and Goddesses (PDF, 117 KB)

School bookings

Are you planning to visit with your class? Pre-purchase school group tickets for just $10 per student – teachers go free with their class. Visit Ticketek Groups or call 1300 364 001 or email groupbookings@ticketek.com.au to make a group booking.

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Shop

Book cover, Egyptian Mummies: Exploring Ancient Lives. Egyptian Mummies: Exploring Ancient Lives

Egyptian Mummies: Exploring Ancient Lives

$29.95

  Official catalogue published to accompany the major exhibition Egyptian Mummies: Exploring Ancient Lives opening at The Powerhouse Museum, Sydney on 10 December 2016 until 25 April 2017. Egyptian Mummies: Exploring Ancient Lives uses the latest CT scanning technology to take you beneath the mummy wrappings and discover six unique individuals. Ancient mummies have been a source of public fascination and a focus for scientific enquiry for over 200 years. Early investigation of the bodies involved their unwrapping, but modern imaging techniques now enabled curators and researchers to virtually explore their mummified remains without damaging or disturbing them. Six mummies curated at the British Museum, including a temple singer, a child from the Roman era and a priest, are the focus of this book. They lived and died in Egypt between 1800 and 3000 years ago. Their 3D CT scan visualisations provide a unique insight into ancient Egyptian mummification and the lives of these individuals. How old were they? Did they suffer from poor health during their life? What is the significance of the paintings that adorn a coffin? How were bodies mummified to grant the deceased eternal life in the netherworld? Using cutting-edge science and technology, these and other questions are answered in this book, lavishly illustrated throughout with remarkable CT scan imagery. Layers are virtually removed and the bandages, skin, muscles and skeletons, as well as any objects placed beneath the wrappings, are revealed. Some of the health problems that the individual must have suffered from during life are discussed alongside their age at death, the mummification process behind their preservation, their beliefs and, on occasion, anomalies in the embalming process. *LIMITED STOCK AVAILABLE NOW    
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