Egyptian museum, Italy’s national treasure

Egyptian museum is a must-visit in Turin. Spending nearly five hours there, I can’t stress enough how comprehensive and mind-blowing it was. And if I ever return to this town, the museum would still be on top of my list.

First off, it’s the world’s oldest Egyptian museum and ranks second only after Cairo. Why Turin owns such a treasure is a long story, but in a nutshell, it’s the combined outcome of passion for antiquities, persistent searches and tireless excavations. Back in early 17^th century, Charles Emmanuel I of Savoy wanted to endow Turin with a “Great Gallery” of antiquities and ordered the purchase of many rare objects from the collection of the Gonzaga dukes in Mantua (northern Italy). The archeological collection continued to be enlarged over centuries later by successive Dukes of Savoy, Kings of Italy, diplomats, collectors and ordinary people, who share the love for Egyptian artifacts.

The huge collection was chronically presented from the Pre-dynastic period all the way to the Old Kingdom and the New Kingdom. Some of the objects are so unique they can not be found elsewhere including their home country (Egypt). Here are some of my favorites among more than 30,000 artifacts in the museum:

The nearly 5,000-year-old statue of princess Redjit, one of the oldest statues in the museum

A natural mummy of an adult in the Pre-dynastic period:

The tomb of Iti and his wife Neferu, a powerful couple living in the Old Kingdom period (sorry I forgot to take a pic here, but it was so interesting I gotta mention it): 

They lived right before 2000 BC when Italy was still fragmented in different states, and Iti was the head of one state, also the chief of the army. He wished to have a perfect life after death, not only taking with him valuable possessions but also ordered to build a massive tomb with sophisticated paintings along its walls.

The Coffin Gallery:

Between the Third intermediate and Late period, the coffins were usually made in a set of three, including an outer, an inner and a false lid. The one you see in the picture is a false lid.

And the statues of Pharaohs:

If you plan to visit the Egyptian museum of Turin, here are a few notes:

• Make sure you check the opening dates and time in advance. I was so stupid I rushed here on Monday afternoon just to see it closed earlier than usual.
• Don’t bring a big bag along and waste 2 euros for the deposit. You are only allowed to bring in a purse for your phone and money to the museum.
• Bring along a bottle of water to keep yourself hydrated during your visit
• Spare at least 4-5 hours to visit this museum. If you’re really in a rush, just scan the first part about the first directors of the museum as well as the process of excavations, then focus on the display of objects.
• Wear smart shoes. The museum is huge and you will need to stand and walk a lot.
• Prepare to pay 13 euros for a full ticket (adults). You won’t regret it.

That’s it for today. Have fun with the mummies! 🙂

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