Enter the fascinating world of ancient Egypt through centuries-old exhibits from the land of the pharaohs.
Two atmospheric galleries focus on the lives and beliefs of the ancient Egyptians, including daily life and the afterlife.
Main Ancient Egypt gallery
Many of the items in the gallery were found by the famous Egyptologist, Francis Llewellyn Griffith (1862-1934) who was born in Brighton. Thanks to Griffith’s brother, Arthur, a Brighton solicitor and alderman, the museum received objects from a number of major excavations in Egypt.
Now visitors can learn about another civilisation through exhibits illuminating daily life in ancient times, such as a mirror, cosmetic palettes, tools, jewellery, sandals, headrests, a fishing net, and animal mummies.
Ancient Egyptians believed in the importance of the afterlife and this gallery has examples of these beliefs. These include a cartonnage coffin with the only known Ancient Egyptian representation of a three-headed god, and a coffin surrounded by burial objects such as canopic jars, shabtis and a shabti box, protective amulets and jars for food supply in the afterlife.
The gallery contains attractive interactives for children who love to get hands on. Children can write their name in hieroglyphics, and learn to prepare and wrap a mummy.
The characters of two Egyptian children introduce visitors to some of the exhibits. Through listening posts, their voices help visitors learn more about who used the items on display and how.
Small Ancient Egypt gallery
The smaller ancient Egypt gallery delves into the environment and technology of ancient Egyptian life and examines the excavations which uncovered some of the exhibits.
The displays focus on technology, environment and the wider world, which encompasses Greek-Roman Egypt and Nubia, an ancient area located in modern times within the southern part of modern Egypt and northern Sudan.
The gallery explores what clues physical objects can tell us about the lives of the ancient Egyptians and the world around them. The exhibits include finds from excavations at Sanam in Nubia, which show the Egyptian influence on Nubian culture at a time when Egypt was controlled by Nubia.
The environment and technology of ancient Egyptian life is also examined. Visitors can learn how some of the exhibits were made, with films demonstrating the techniques of flint knapping, stone vessel making, pottery making and the making of faience, a fine tin-glazed pottery.
Interactives include memories of the Nile spoken by members of the Sudanese community of Brighton & Hove, and pull up index cards revealing further information about the exhibits in the gallery.
Where is it?
The Ancient Egypt gallery is located on the ground floor of Brighton Museum, directly off the 20th century Art & Design gallery. The Small Ancient Egypt Gallery is located in the first room on the right opposite the staircase leading to the first floor.
