National Museum of Australia’s Egypt exhibition attracts record number of visitors

The National Museum of Australia’s blockbuster exhibition - ‘Discovering Ancient Egypt’ - has beaten all records for previous hit shows, with almost 200,000 visits, making it the biggest blockbuster in the Museum’s 23-year history.

Since its opening in Canberra on 15th December 2023, Discovering Ancient Egypt has had more than 196,000 visits, bringing Australian and international audiences in direct contact with stunning artefacts from one of the world’s finest collections.

From the acclaimed Dutch National Museum of Antiquities (Rijksmuseum van Oudheden), the show features stunningly decorated coffins, ornate sculptures, rare Book of the Dead scrolls, exquisite jewellery and mummified people and animals, including a cat and a crocodile.

Featuring 220 intriguing objects never previously seen in Canberra and dating from 3700 BCE to the 16th century CE, Discovering Ancient Egypt explores the rituals and beliefs of the ancient Egyptians, their fascination with the afterlife, how their culture evolved and endured over millennia and how archaeologists have studied and recorded this rich cultural heritage.

National Museum of Australia Director Katherine McMahon said the exhibition offered visitors an incredible journey spanning 3,000 years of history and enthused “and clearly visitors have loved it.

“We are absolutely delighted to have had nearly 200,000 visits to this fabulous exhibition. And 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.

“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 success of our Canberra exhibition goes to show our fascination with the land of the pyramids knows no bounds.

“With the exhibition running until 8th September there is still plenty of time for people to come and experience first-hand the incredible and rare objects from an awe-inspiring culture on display. People should get in while they can.’

Discovering Ancient Egypt opened at the National Museum of Australia on 15th December 2023 and closes 8th September 2024.

The exhibition at the National Museum is one of three Australian shows taking place as part of a major collaboration with the Western Australian Museum and the Queensland Museum.

The next leg of the Australian partnership will see Discovering Ancient Egypt run in Queensland from 25th October 2024 until 5th May 2025.

The second most popular exhibition since the Museum’s opening in 2001 is A History of the World in 100 Objects (British Museum), which ran from 9th September 2016 to 29th January 2017 and had 178,220 visits.

Images. Credit: National Museum of Australia