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.
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.
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.
Reframe the language and messaging seen across all physical and online platforms of the Museum.
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.
This is a collaborative project comprising:
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