What to see at the Egyptian Museum of Turin: an extraordinary journey into the heart of Ancient Egypt
Are you ready for an adventure among mummies, pharaohs and millenary secrets? The Egyptian Museum of Turin is not only the oldest Egyptian museum in the world, but a real portal in time that will transport you to the era of great rulers and mysterious divinities.
How was the Egyptian Museum born?
Back in 1824, King Carlo Felice of Savoy acquired the spectacular collection of Bernardino Drovetti, a Piedmontese with the soul of Indiana Jones: born in a small town in the province of Turin, he became general consul of France in Egypt and began to collect and search for Egyptian antiquities.
Thanks to his diplomatic skills and his passion for archeology, Drovetti managed to collect thousands of extraordinary finds, giving life to what is today the beating heart of the museum.
In this image we see the first set-up of the Drovetti collection at the Egyptian Museum:
The collection was then enriched to reach as many as 40,000 artifacts, including ancient tablets, mummies, papyri, objects, embalmed animals, statues and sphinxes that make this place today the seventh most visited museum in Italy.
Why is the Egyptian Museum located in Turin?
Have you ever wondered why one of the largest Egyptian collections in the world is located in Turin? The Savoys were fascinated by Ancient Egypt, so much so that they fantasized about divine origins and even linked the symbol of the city’s bull to the deity Api.
A few centuries earlier, the Savoys had started the Egyptian collection by purchasing the “Mensa Isiaca” from the Gonzaga of Mantua, a bronze table made around the 1st century AD. Its discovery caused a sensation and sparked speculation about esoteric meanings… but it turned out it was just a decorative masterpiece!
It must be said that the mysteries and cults of ancient Egypt fascinated the rulers since the Renaissance: the pharaohs were in fact the first historical example of divinity personified by a sovereign and therefore were taken as a model by subsequent aspirants to power, including the Savoys, in search of legitimacy and political and territorial expansion.
What to see at the Egyptian Museum of Turin
The Egyptian Museum of Turin is located in the seventeenth-century Palazzo dell’Accademia delle Scienze, next to Piazza Carignano, in the center of Turin. The imposing building was designed to house the Collegio dei Nobili dei Gesuiti, then became the seat of the Reale Accademia delle Scienze, founded by Vittorio Amedeo III in 1783 and finally in 1824 the seat of the Egyptian Museum.
Ground Floor
Here begins the journey with the installation Materia. Forma del Tempo, which explores the materials and colors used by the ancient Egyptians. Don’t miss the spectacular sarcophagus illuminated with videomapping!
The Gallery of Kings. One of the most breathtaking spaces in the museum! Colossal statues of pharaohs like Seti II and Ramses II will make you feel tiny. The new layout, designed by OMA, has caused some controversy, because it has replaced the adventure film atmosphere created by the legendary set designer Dante Ferretti… it was more mysterious and magical. The current layout, however, is very photogenic.
Third Floor
The Magic of Egyptian Writing Here you can discover everything about hieroglyphs and the history of writing in Ancient Egypt and also write your name in hieroglyphs!
Second Floor
Mummies and Mysterious Tombs. Have you ever seen a 4,000 year old mummy? The Mummy of Gebelein is among the oldest treasures of the museum! You will also find the Tomb of the Unknown and the Tomb of Iti and Neferu, together with the Gallery of Material Culture, which shows the daily life of the time.
First Floor
Deir el-Medina and Funerary Treasures. Here you can admire the Tomb of Kha and Merit, incredibly preserved with its original funerary kit! The Papiroteca houses rare ancient papyri, while the Sarcophagus Gallery is an explosion of colors and mystery.
Useful information
Tickets can only be purchased online on the website of the Egyptian Museum