This text is part of the special section Museums
From October 27, visitors to the Musée de la civilization will be invited to discover the era of ancient Egypt from top to bottom through the exhibition The time of the pharaohswhich takes the place of Pompeii, immortal citya flagship exhibition of the museum which recently concluded.
“The theme of ancient Egypt draws crowds to the museum every time,” says Marie-Christine Bédard, exhibition project manager at the Musée de la civilisation. The mysterious constructions of the pyramids by the simple force of men, the funerary aspects, mummification, a spirituality very different from what we know: this era brings together several ingredients that fascinate. »
The exhibition, which will open on October 27, has the particularity of addressing several important themes of ancient Egypt. “Often, an exhibition focuses on a particular theme,” notes Ms.me Bedard. In the one we are currently installing, different areas are intended for different sub-themes, such as writing, the role of the pharaoh, the social hierarchy, the components of society, funeral rituals, the importance of mummification, sarcophagi, curiosities… There really is everything to cover the history of this era. »
Models of pyramids, temples and Egyptian houses, mummy, coffin, steles, jewelry, statues, papyrus: more than 350 unique objects will come together to tell this story. All complemented by several interactive multimedia spaces, animations and videos. The whole family should find their account, according to Mme Bedard. “It’s an exhibition for the general public, which has therefore not been specifically developed for young people, but several elements will interest children, and we have also added an offer of animated workshops,” she says.
Pieces that travel
It is not only a journey through time that this exhibition will allow. By hosting this exhibition conceptualized by the international firm MuseumsPartner, visitors will have access to Egyptology collections belonging to the museums of the University of Aberdeen in the United Kingdom, as well as German museum institutions, the Gustav-Lübcke-Museum and the Roemer and Pelizaeus Museum. This is not the first time that the Musée de la civilization has collaborated with the firm MuseumsPartner: the joint presentation of the exhibition MAYA last summer was a great success.
According to the exhibition manager, the Facar mummy, accompanied by its sarcophagus, will be one of the key pieces of the new exhibition. A hologram installation will also make it possible to virtually remove the bandages from a mummy to understand the mummification ritual and see what is found under the pieces of fabric. The tomb of Cenegen, inside which one can enter and discover several colored hieroglyphs, should also attract crowds.
“I believe that this exhibition will allow us to get out of the preconceived image that we can have of ancient Egypt, concludes Marie-Christine Bédard. It will introduce you to a very rich culture that goes far beyond mummification and Tutankhamun, a very well-known character, but who ultimately only represents a comma in the history of ancient Egypt. »
The time of the pharaohsfrom October 27, 2022 to March 12, 2023, Musée de la civilization in Québec.
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