25 October - 3 May 2026
One of the most anticipated cultural events of the year: the historical exhibition that presents 130 masterpieces from the main Egyptian museums. A unique opportunity to explore the art, spirituality and daily life of ancient Egypt through artifacts of extraordinary value, many of which are exhibited for the first time in Italy.
Scuderie del Quirinale – via Ventiquattro Maggio, 16
The exhibition is one of the most significant ever organized in Italy on ancient Egypt, following the show held at Palazzo Grassi in Venice in 2002–2003. It was made possible thanks to the collaboration between the Scuderie, the Ministry of Culture, and the Egyptian Museum in Cairo—the oldest Egyptian museum in the world, founded in 1902. On display are over 130 extraordinary artifacts from the permanent collections of the Egyptian Museum and the Luxor Museum, recounting more than three thousand years of pharaonic history, religion, and art.
Curated by Egyptologist Tarek El Awady and accompanied by a catalog written by Zahi Hawass, the exhibition offers an immersive journey into ancient Egyptian civilization, exploring themes ranging from divine kingship to daily life, from funerary rituals to recent archaeological discoveries.
The Egyptian civilization, which developed along the banks of the Nile from the 4th millennium BCE, profoundly and enduringly influenced the history of the Mediterranean and the Near East. Its remarkable longevity—over three thousand years of cultural and political continuity—represents a unique case in ancient history. This civilization produced a heritage of religious, artistic, scientific, and social knowledge that continues to amaze and inspire new archaeological and historical investigations to this day.
The monumentality of its architecture—such as the Pyramids of Giza, the Temple of Karnak, and the Valley of the Kings—is just one way Egypt’s greatness is expressed. Adding to this are a complex written language (hieroglyphs), an extremely elaborate religion based on a pantheon of over two thousand deities, a worldview founded on the cosmic balance of Ma’at, and highly refined funerary practices. Their concept of time, cyclical and governed by the agricultural rhythms of the Nile, is deeply connected to their idea of eternity, fully expressed in sepulchral art and mummification rites.
Through the millennia, Egyptian culture has exerted a constant fascination—first on the Greeks and Romans, who adopted its symbols and rituals, then on the Renaissance and Neoclassicism in Europe, and finally on contemporary popular culture, from visual arts to literature and cinema. Today, Egypt is one of the places where ancient history is most visibly present in daily life: temples, necropolises, and museums are in constant dialogue with modernity.
The exhibition fits precisely within this dimension of continuity and rediscovery. Visitors have the opportunity not only to admire objects of unparalleled beauty and significance but also to engage with the extraordinary symbolic richness of a world in which every gesture, material, or artistic form reflected a precise understanding of reality, life, and death.
Preserving, studying, and enhancing this millennia-old heritage is the mission of Egypt’s major museum institutions. Among these, the Egyptian Museum in Cairo stands out—not only as the main reference point for the study of ancient Egypt but also as an identity symbol for the Egyptian people. Its collections provide a direct, material, and tangible account of the greatness of a civilization that laid the foundation for many key concepts in Western culture: sacred architecture, bureaucracy, written law, and the divine representation of power.
In today’s context, the role of the museum has expanded—from a place of preservation to a center for education, dialogue, and research. The collaboration between the Egyptian Museum in Cairo and international museum institutions, as in this exhibition hosted at the Scuderie del Quirinale, is now one of the most effective tools to ensure the global transmission of historical knowledge and the promotion of a heritage that is, in every sense, universal.
Officially inaugurated in 1902, the Egyptian Museum in Cairo is the oldest and largest museum in the world dedicated entirely to ancient Egypt. Located in Tahrir Square, at the heart of Egypt’s capital, it is a true three-dimensional encyclopedia of antiquity, capable of collecting and narrating the entire pharaonic history—from the predynastic era (around 5000 BCE) to the Greco-Roman period.
The museum was conceived during a pivotal moment in Egyptian archaeology: the end of the 19th century, a period of major excavations and groundbreaking discoveries. Its creation was made possible by the efforts of French Egyptologist Gaston Maspero, who helped define the first policies for safeguarding Egypt’s national heritage and opposed the dispersal of artifacts abroad. The architectural project was entrusted to Marcel Dourgnon, who designed a grand building in European neoclassical style, conceived to host and showcase thousands of ancient objects.
Today, the Egyptian Museum in Cairo houses over 120,000 artifacts, displayed in 107 rooms. Among its most famous collections are:
Despite its historical and scientific importance, the Egyptian Museum in Cairo is undergoing a transformation. With the upcoming opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) in Giza—the largest museum complex ever built for ancient Egypt—part of the collections will be transferred to more modern and technologically advanced facilities. However, the Tahrir Square museum will not lose its centrality: it will be restored and renewed, assuming a complementary role to the GEM, with a focus on enhancing the urban context and the history of Egyptology.
In this transitional scenario, the exhibition represents an opportunity for the Cairo museum to continue playing an active role in the international promotion of Egyptian culture. Lending works to institutions such as the Scuderie del Quirinale not only increases the visibility of Egypt’s heritage but also strengthens a global network of scientific and cultural collaboration.
The value of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo lies not only in the quantity or quality of its collections but in its ability to evoke an era and make accessible a civilization that shaped the ancient world. Visiting it, one perceives the breath of history in every room, in every object on display. It is a place where time seems suspended, and where the past constantly dialogues with the present, offering tools to understand not only what once was, but also what we still are.
Among monumental statues, ritual objects, papyri, and jewelry, visitors are guided through an exhibition that conveys the grandeur and complexity of a civilization that continues to inspire awe and mystery. The exhibition is part of a broader cultural collaboration program between Italy and Egypt, aimed at promoting international archaeological and museum heritage.
The exhibition is divided into six main sections, each dedicated to a fundamental aspect of Egyptian civilization:
This section explores the figure of the pharaoh as an intermediary between the gods and humanity, through regal statues, monumental reliefs, and official inscriptions. Among the works on display is the Triad of Menkaure, a masterpiece from the Old Kingdom depicting the king flanked by the goddess Hathor and a local deity, symbolizing the connection between earthly and divine power.
Religion permeated every aspect of Egyptian life. In this section, cult objects, amulets, votive statuettes, and illustrated papyri provide insights into the Egyptian pantheon and the rituals related to death and rebirth. Especially evocative is the presence of a perfectly preserved and illustrated copy of the Book of the Dead, painted on a papyrus over five meters long.
The section dedicated to Egyptian art features works of great aesthetic and symbolic value: painted stelae, bas-reliefs, ceremonial vessels, and royal jewelry. Art was not purely decorative—it conveyed religious and political messages. A refined gold pectoral inlaid with precious stones, once belonging to Queen Tiye, showcases the level of craftsmanship reached by Egyptian goldsmiths in the New Kingdom.
One of the most evocative sections is devoted to the funerary cult and the concept of immortality. Sarcophagi, funerary masks, ushabti, and votive offerings illustrate the complex rituals associated with burial. Among the highlights is the polychrome wooden sarcophagus of a priest of Amun, never before exhibited outside Egypt.
Thanks to scenic reconstructions and original artifacts, visitors can symbolically enter a Theban tomb and grasp the Egyptian vision of life after death. The richly decorated walls, faithfully reproduced, testify to the importance attributed to sacred iconography.
A special focus is dedicated to the “Golden City”, one of the most important excavations in recent decades, which has brought to light a large urban settlement dating back to the reign of Amenhotep III and Akhenaten. This discovery offers a new and more intimate perspective on Egyptian society, highlighting the ingenuity and skill of those who contributed to the construction of the great monuments of antiquity.
The exhibition is a unique opportunity to admire masterpieces usually inaccessible, housed in Egyptian museums that have lent some of their most precious works. The high curatorial standards, the theatrical display, and the quality of the artifacts make the experience especially meaningful for both scholars and enthusiasts.
The exhibition setup is designed as an immersive journey, guiding visitors through the many facets of Egyptian civilization. Each artifact is placed within a narrative context that enhances its original function and symbolic meaning.
Alongside the exhibition, there will be in-depth meetings, lectures, guided tours, and workshops for children, aimed at engaging a diverse audience with the history of ancient Egypt. The full program of related events will be available on the official website of the Scuderie del Quirinale.
Archaeology is not a discipline confined to the past: on the contrary, it is a key to understanding the present and to building a more conscious future. Every unearthed object, every recovered site, every deciphered inscription helps us understand how humanity has developed fundamental concepts such as power, religion, memory, and cultural identity. In particular, Egyptian civilization provides tools to reflect on the complexity of the sacred, the relationship between the individual and the community, and the cycle of life and death.
Today, the value of archaeology lies in its ability to foster dialogue among peoples, to build cultural and diplomatic bridges resulting from a strong cooperation between Italy and Egypt. Making this knowledge accessible through international exhibitions contributes to democratizing knowledge, offering everyone the opportunity to discover the shared roots of Mediterranean civilizations.
In today’s context—marked by armed conflicts, natural disasters, and illicit trafficking—archaeology also assumes ethical and political significance. Egypt’s cultural assets, like those of many regions around the world, are often exposed to concrete threats. This makes the role of museum institutions and temporary exhibitions essential in ensuring the protection, documentation, and enhancement of heritage.
International efforts toward the repatriation of looted artifacts, the preservation of archaeological sites, and the training of local experts are now an integral part of the cultural mission of museums and research centers. Events such as this exhibition also raise public awareness about the respect and protection of shared cultural assets.
In recent decades, archaeology has undergone a methodological transformation, increasingly becoming a participatory science. Through “public archaeology” projects, local communities are actively involved in the care and narration of their own past. In Egypt, various initiatives are leading to the formation of new generations of archaeologists, restorers, and cultural communicators who are able to operate independently and sustainably.
This approach not only helps preserve cultural identities but also creates economic and social opportunities through conscious tourism, research, education, and the production of digital cultural content. Thus, archaeology emerges as a discipline that, in addition to questioning the past, transforms the present and shapes the future.
Visiting the exhibition does not simply mean observing ancient artifacts—it means taking part in a collective narrative where past and present meet. Each object tells a story, but also a choice: the choice to preserve, study, exhibit, and transmit it. In this sense, archaeology becomes an act of civil and cultural responsibility.
Culture, when shared and consciously cared for, represents a common good.
Ancient Egypt continues to fascinate us because it speaks of eternity—but it also reminds us that nothing can last unless it is protected, respected, and known. Archaeology is the means through which the past can continue to live in the present—and it is our task to let it speak.
This event is not only for specialists and Egyptology enthusiasts: it is designed to engage a wide and diverse audience through an educational offering that combines academic rigor and accessibility. Explanatory materials, multilingual audio guides, and multimedia installations offer a comprehensive yet intuitive experience, adaptable to solo visitors, school groups, or families.
Alongside the exhibition, the Scuderie del Quirinale present a rich educational program featuring children’s workshops, interactive pathways for schools, and adult workshops. Among the planned activities:
Special attention has been given to accessibility: all content is available in audio, visual, and simplified formats, with dedicated pathways for individuals with motor, sensory, or cognitive disabilities. The goal is to provide a truly open experience that respects the diverse needs of today’s audiences.
Among the 130 artifacts on display, some stand out as true symbols of Egyptian civilization, both for their historical-artistic value and their role in collective memory. The curatorial approach favors a balance between well-known objects and rarely exhibited works, offering a nuanced and authentic view of the pharaonic world.
Standing over two meters tall, this statue is one of the most solemn portraits of the pharaoh, carved in pink granite. The depiction adheres to the iconographic canons of royal power: the nemes headdress, frontal cobra, ceremonial beard, and cartouche inscribed between the legs. It is a work that embodies the technical perfection of New Kingdom sculpture.
Finely crafted in gilded cartonnage and decorated with lapis lazuli and blue glass, this mask is a rare example of female funerary art. The glass paste eyes and black eyebrows define an idealized face, intended to ensure the soul’s eternity in the afterlife.
Measuring over six meters in length, this extraordinary Book of the Dead from the 21st Dynasty features 42 painted vignettes, including the weighing of the heart, the crossing to the West, and the presentation of the deceased to Osiris. It is one of the most complete and best-preserved papyri in the collection of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, shown here in its entirety.
The Scuderie del Quirinale provide a particularly evocative exhibition setting, where the nobility of neoclassical architecture meets the minimalism of a design intended to highlight the visual intensity of the artifacts. The rooms are arranged to guide visitors along a coherent and immersive path, alternating intimate spaces with monumental ones.
Careful use of lighting plays a key role: the artifacts are individually illuminated, while dark walls eliminate visual distractions, focusing attention on the object. The scenic layout encourages slow contemplation, in a silent dialogue between ancient and modern. Wooden columns, raw linen panels, and discreet graphics create an atmosphere reminiscent of the natural materials of ancient Egypt.
The exhibition path is enriched by multimedia content: stations with 3D reconstructions of temples, tombs, and ancient cities allow visitors to visualize the original context of the displayed objects. An experimental section uses augmented reality to “animate” scenes from the reliefs, making the mechanics of Egyptian visual symbolism accessible even to younger audiences.
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