Human Remains Research Project
About the project
This research project seeks to understand better different publics attitudes and responses to the display of ancient human remains at the Chau Chak Wing Museum, with an initial focus on Egypt.
200 visitors were invited to complete an online survey upon their departure of the Museum between July and November 2022. The questions, which were predominantly qualitative and naturalistic in nature, aimed to capture the way visitors engaged with, reacted, and responded to the curation and display of human remains in physical and 3D visual formats within the Museum’s exhibitions. This component of the research was approved by the University of Sydney's Human Research Ethics Committee. Project No. 2022/379.
Concurrently, we are working closely with Egyptian descent communities. To date, the topic of human remains has formed part of a weekend of intensive focus groups held with 17 members of the Egyptian community from Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide, a co-written discussion piece for Egypt’s largest online media platform in English, 'Egyptian Streets', and a meet and greet followed by a survey with people identifying as Egyptian from the local Sydney area. We also have an Egyptian museum professional on staff, and a community Whatsapp group. To read more about our Egyptian community engagement initiative, see here.
What we are doing with the results
The data gathered from this research informs a set of culturally specific guidelines for the display, care, treatment and interpretation of ancient Egyptian mummified human remains at the Museum.
Following on from this work, we have devised a three-phase plan to reframe the Chau Chak Wing Museum's approaches to ancient human remains.
Phase 1
Removal of the body parts on display in 'Pharaonic Obsessions' and 'The Mummy Room' and the installation of a new replacement display in the latter focused on funerary masks.
Phase 2
Reframe the language and messaging seen across all physical and online platforms of the Museum.
Phase 3
Review, adapt and implement the project model to the wider Nicholson Collection of human remains from Jericho, Cyprus and France.
We are also presenting and publishing widely, including at national and international conferences, peer-reviewed journals, public lectures and media interviews.
- M. Pitkin, Discussion session ‘Museum ethics and human remains’, History and Philosophy of Science Honours students, University of Sydney, 24 October 2022.
- M. Pitkin et.al. 'Dialogues on display: Centring visitors and source communities in discussions regarding human remains in museums', Australian Museums and Galleries Association National Conference, 16-19 May 2023.
- M. Pitkin 'An Ethical Conundrum? Egyptian mummified human remains in Australia' History Teachers Association State Conference, 13-14 Jul 2023.
- M. Pitkin, ‘An Ethical Conundrum? Egyptian mummified human remains in Australia’, discussion session with curators from the Museums of History New South Wales (MHNSW), 9 August 2023.
- M. Pitkin, ‘An Ethical Conundrum? Egyptian mummified human remains in Australia’, guest lecture, History and Philosophy of Science Honours students, 19 October 2023.
- M. Pitkin, ‘The ethical complexities of ancient Egyptian mummified human remains in museums’, Centre for Critical Thinking and Ethics, Newington College, 14 February 2024
- ArtsHub, 'Museum takes a stand on displaying body parts', 9 April 2024.
- Cosmos Magazine, 'Museum removes Egyptian body parts from galleries', 8 April 2024.
- TimeOut, 'A Sydney museum has removed human body parts from its Ancient Egypt display', 5 April 2024.
- Channel 9 News, 'Sydney museum removes ancient Egyptian human remains from public display', 5 April 2024.
- 2GB (radio), Afternoons with Michael McLaren, 5 April 2024.
- 2NURFM (radio), Drive, 5 April 2024.
- 2WEB (radio), 5 April 2024.
- Eagle FM 93.5 2SNO (radio), 5 April 2024.
- 2UE (radio), News Bulletin, 5 April 2024.
- The World, 'Mummies are people too. So, should they be on display?', 20 February 2024.
- Sydney Morning Herald, 'Mummified body parts to be removed from Sydney museum amid intense global debate', 28 January 2024.
- The Sun-Herald (print), 'Museums grapple with mummy of a dilemma', 28 January 2024.
This is a collaborative project comprising:
Internal investigators
- PI: Dr Melanie Pitkin, Senior Curator, Nicholson Collection
- Co-I: Candace Richards, Assistant Curator, Nicholson Collection
External investigators
- Professor Ronika Power, Macquarie University
- Jacinta Carruthers, Macquarie University
- Dr Rafie Cecilia, University College London
Project volunteers and interns
- Alexandra Doubleday, Macquarie University
- Simon Wyatt-Spratt, University of Sydney
- Sabrina Baron, University of Sydney
- Zara el-Mahir, University of Sydney
This project has been approved by the University of Sydney's Human Research Ethics Committee. Project No. 2022/379
Header image: The Mummy Room at the Chau Chak Wing Museum