These two exhibitions take you on a journey, through the modern history of Egyptomania and archaeological discovery to the biographical insights and ethical complexities of caring for individuals who lived and died in Ancient Egypt.
In ancient Egypt, Maat represented truth, justice, and universal order. It also provided an ethical framework for social behaviour and conduct.
In this gallery, you will encounter four individuals of elite status who lived and died in Egypt between 1200 BC and 100 AD. Their names are Meruah, Padiashaikhet, Mer-Neith-it-es and Horus. These are people who have been displaced and now reside far away from their original intended place of burial.
Since the first public display of Egyptian mummified remains at the British Museum in 1837, museums have shaped public expectations, often displaying these individuals as objects of curiosity. Informed by the work of the Human Remains Research Project, this exhibition encourages visitors to contemplate this long history of display and displacement from the different ancient, historical and contemporary perspectives, alongside the reconstructed biographical data.
The project has also informed the recent renaming of the exhibition from The Mummy Room to The Place of Truth (set Maat, دار الحقيق).
Partner
Curatorial assistance
Curator
Designer
Exhibition Manager
'The Place of Truth' (installation view), Chau Chak Wing Museum, 2024. Photo by Stefanie Zingsheim.
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LinkAlthough worlds apart, modern Australia has been influenced by ancient Egypt in many ways. In the 19th century, a wave of Egyptomania spread throughout the western world, inspiring a generation of scientists, scholars and tourists.
Each new discovery tantalised the public. Australians, deployed through Egypt during the World Wars or migrating via the Suez Canal, found themselves uniquely placed to explore the sites and wonders.
Since then, the style and stories of ancient Egypt have reverberated through many aspects of our culture, from art to architecture and film. This exhibition examines Australia’s continuing fascination with ancient Egypt through the diverse artefacts collected by Australians and the archaeological sites that ignited our imagination.
Curator
Candace Richards
Designer
Studioplusthree
Exhibition Manager
Luke Parker
'Pharaonic Obsession' (installation view), Chau Chak Wing Museum, 2024. Photo by Stefanie Zingsheim.
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LinkOpen seven days a week
Mon - Fri: 10am - 5pm
Sat - Sun: 12 - 4pm
Please note: the Chau Chak Wing Museum is closed on public holidays.
Ongoing exhibition
Nicholson Galleries, Level 2
Chau Chak Wing Museum
Free
Header image: The Place of Truth (set Maat, دار الحقيقة ) (formerly known as The Mummy Room) (installation view), Chau Chak Wing Museum, 2024. Photo by Stefanie Zingsheim.
Visitor Advice: This exhibition contains the mummified human remains of people who lived and died over 2000 years ago in Egypt. It also contains CT images of the remains. Please do not enter this space if you feel uncomfortable viewing human remains or medical imagery.
In keeping with Gadigal protocols, the remains have been given a smoking ceremony to cleanse and protect them and those who visit.
Phone: +61 2 93512812
Email: ccwm.info@sydney.edu.au
Chau Chak Wing Museum
University Place
Camperdown NSW 2050
