Things to do in Turin: Egyptian Museum tour
Torna indietroDiscover the historical treasures of art in Italy, this is your wish. Where to start? From the cradle of the Renaissance and industry capital of Piedmont Turin, which sits on the banks of Po River. And you want to enjoy this trip, experiencing this metropolis.
Yes, you want to see the Mole Antonelliana, walk to Piazza Castello and taste the delicious Pralines in one of the many cafes in town. But you want it all comes true at any time and convenience. For this reason you decided to visit Turin, renting a luxury car with private driver.
Your idea is to get into the city center through its streets to enjoy its architectural jewels, art galleries and good food. The first stop? The Egyptian Museum in Turin.
Read more: the best churches in Milan, Italy
Egyptian Museum Turin Collection
Contents
The Egyptian Museum in Turin is the second most important Museum in the world dedicated to ancient Egypt after Cairo and is located in the building of the Academy of Sciences. A beautiful 17th-century building built in 1679 under the guidance of the Italian architect Michelangelo Garove.
Here you can find mummies, papyri, amulets, jewelry. The building showcases archaeological finds from the Paleolithic era to the Coptic era, that one of the native Egyptian Coptic Christians.
What to see in the Egyptian Museum of Turin
The Egyptian Museum in Turin houses full of charm works: their historic value is inestimable. When you cross its doors, emotions will surprise and stun you. Your eyes will be filled with beauty and you will feel part of history. The history of humanity traced by the hands of people willing to deliver to posterity the grandeur of a given historical period. So, what to see in the Egyptian Museum in Turin? Among the exhibits, you will find:
The intact tomb of Kha and Merit
This funeral monument is the flagship of the Egyptian museum in Turin. It was discovered at the beginning of the 20th century by the Egyptologist and museum’s director Ernesto Schiaparelli and dates back to the XVIII dynasty. Here, architect Kha and his wife Merit were buried. The sarcophagus is covered with gold decorations.
The room dedicated to the Valley of the Queens
Into the work, the funeral kit of the consort, including some objects of everyday use, was found: stools, linen tunics, a chair decorated with the statue of Kha, fossilized food.
But surprises do not end there. I’m talking about a long papyrus with the formulas of the Book of the Dead, a sacred Egyptian funerary text that protected the deceased on the journey to the afterlife. What I have described is just a taste, think that the objects found in the grave could set up an entire museum alone! All of them are perfectly preserved.
Temple of Ellesyia
In the Egyptian Museum in Turin you can enter many small worlds and experience moments of the past, forgetting for a moment the present. How so? Visiting the Temple of Ellesyia, one of the oldest Egyptian rock-cut temples. It was ordered by Pharaoh Thutmose III and was built in the village of Ellesyia in 1430 BC. The monument is dedicated to deities Horus of Miam, Satis and to the same ruler.
The structure has a T-shaped plan, it is huge and has a barrel vaulted ceiling. The Interior is decorated with images of the Pharaoh who is making offerings to Egyptian deities.
The monument not only preserves history and culture of ancient Egypt but it became a place of worship for Christians from the 6th century AD onwards, as you can see by the reliefs of crosses and pentacles. This important artwork was donated by Egypt to Italy after the Museum saved it in 1965, from being inundated by Lake Nasser.
The Papyrus of gold mines
What if I told you that in the Egyptian Museum you can identify yourself with an adventurer searching for treasures? That’s how you’ll feel when you see the Papyrus illustrating maps of the gold mines which are in the northeastern area of Sudan.
The document dates back to the new Egyptian Kingdom and contains writings in Hieratic. The map shows not only the mines but also the homes of labourers who worked in the quarries, the trails, the well and the Temple of Amun.
The Turin King List
Another document with an inestimable value to reconstruct the history of ancient Egypt. The Turin King List, also known Turin Royal Canon. It was written in red and black ink and is thought to be the most extensive list of Egyptian kings.
It is believed the document dates from the reign of Ramessess II in the middle of New Kingdom, to the 19th Dynasty but it is not possible to verify it, because the beginning and the ending of the list are lost. The list is divided into eleven detailed columns, reporting the years of Kings, days and months of their kingdoms.
The Turin King List has been found probably in a tomb; it was bought by the diplomat, art collector and explorer Bernardo Drovetti in Thebes, in the nineteenth century, and was later bought by the Piedmontese Government between 1823 and 1824. Are there other wonders that deserve your attention? The statue of Ramesses II, of deities Isis and Sekhmet, the Isaac table and the reliefs of Egyptian Pharaoh Djoser.
Egyptian Museum Turin tickets and opening times
Are you asking for Egyptian Museum opening hours? The Museum opens on Monday 09.00/14.00, Tuesday-Sunday 09.00/18.30. If you want to book a tour, you can phone +39 011 44 06 903 or email info@museitorino.it.
Pyramidion of Ramose
And what about Egyptian Museum entrance fee? You will pay 15 euros to visit the Museum and the exhibition, 11 euros from 15 to 18 years and just 1 euro from 6 to 14 years. Take a look at the official website for updates on schedules and tickets.
How to get to the Egyptian Museum Turin
You can get to the museum by train. The ideal solution is to stop at Porta Nuova railway station and then take via Roma until reaching the intersection of via Maria Vittoria. A few blocks and you are at your destination. The correct address is via Accademia delle Scienze, 6. Same route with the subway.
If you choose to go by bus, get off at Porta Susa Station and take bus number 55 or 56. Alternatively there is the tram number 13 to Piazza Castello. Read more: Bellagio, Lake Como: best things to do
Have you already planned a tour to the Egyptian Museum?
This article is a short guide to discover the Egyptian Museum in Turin. A precious jewel, one of the first landmarks to know works, mysteries and past of ancient Egypt. On the other hand, archaeologist Jean-François Champollion once wrote: “The road to Memphis and Thebes passes from Turin”.
Now it’s up to you. Have you ever visited this place? Would you like to reach it easily without taking public transportation but with all comforts? Book now our luxury car rental with driver service. A private driver in Turin will accompany you through the wonders of the pyramids.
