This autumn, the Italian capital Rome will host one of the most significant exhibitions of Ancient Egyptian artefacts seen in Italy for over two decades. The “Treasures of the Pharaohs” exhibition puts on show masterpieces from the Egyptian Museum in Cairo’s Tahrir Square and the Luxor Museum at the prestigious Scuderie del Quirinale from 24 October until 5 May 2026.
Organised by the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA) in partnership with the Scuderie del Quirinale, the Italian Ministry of Culture, and with the support of the Italian Embassy in Cairo, the exhibition promises to be an unprecedented opportunity for the Italian public to immerse themselves in the splendour, symbolism, and sophistication of ancient Egyptian civilisation.
The exhibition spans the entire arc of Ancient Egyptian history, from the Early Dynastic Period to the Late Period, including recent archaeological discoveries never before shown outside Egypt.
The exhibition is only the second time Egypt has mounted an exhibition on this scale in Italy, following the renowned “The Pharaohs” exhibition in 2002 at the Palazzo Grassi in Venice. But while the Venice show focused on the role of kingship in the New Kingdom, “Treasures of the Pharaohs” offers a far more expansive narrative and one that examines not only royal power but also daily life, religious beliefs, funerary customs, and artistic achievements over 3,000 years.
Among the highlights are the gilded coffin of Queen Ahhotep, adorned entirely in gold, the golden funerary mask of the Pharaoh Amenemope, and the triad statue of Menkaure, showing the king flanked by the goddess Hathor and a regional deity, underscoring the divine mandate of rulership.
Other treasures include the golden coffin of Thuya, grandmother of the revolutionary Pharaoh Akhenaten, the intricate golden funerary cover of Amenemope, and the famed “Necklace of Golden Flies” that was awarded for military valour and once belonged to Queen Ahhotep.
The exhibition unfolds through six thematic sections, exploring kingship, religion, daily life, funerary practices, and recent discoveries, most notably the “Golden City” unearthed by an Egyptian team led by Egyptologist Zahi Hawass in Luxor in 2020. This vast urban settlement, dating to the reign of Kings Amenhotep III and Akhenaten, offers an unprecedented glimpse into the lives of artisans and craftsmen behind Egypt’s grand monuments.
The Egyptian Museum in Turin will contribute to the exhibition with items from its collection.
The exhibition will be accompanied by a richly illustrated catalogue authored by Hawass and published by Allemandi Editore. A full programme of educational activities including lectures, guided tours, and hands-on workshops for families and schools will offer further opportunities for visitors to deepen their understanding of Ancient Egyptian culture.
In a press conference held at the Egyptian Museum to announce the organisation of the exhibition, Mohamed Ismail Khaled, secretary-general of the SCA, highlighted the significance of Egyptian-Italian collaboration on antiquities. He described such exhibitions abroad as being a “vital cultural bridge” allowing global audiences to explore the richness of ancient Egyptian civilisation and showcasing the ingenuity of the ancient Egyptians in fields such as science, engineering, and the arts.
“These exhibitions play a key role in fostering intercultural dialogue and bringing people closer together through a shared appreciation of human heritage,” Khaled said.
Reflecting on the significance of the Rome exhibition, he said that it marked the second-largest display of Ancient Egyptian antiquities in Italy since 2002 and the Pharaohs exhibition in Venice. “Today, we are proud to return with a collection that reflects the richness of our history and the timeless appeal of our heritage,” he said.
“The Treasures of the Pharaohs exhibition presents 130 carefully selected artefacts from the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir and the Luxor Museum. These objects narrate the story of Egypt’s illustrious civilisation across different periods, with a thematic focus on kingship, the royal court, religious beliefs, daily life, funerary practices, and the afterlife. It offers an extended opportunity for visitors to engage with our past.”
“This exhibition affirms the enduring vitality of the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir, which remains a cornerstone of Egypt’s museum landscape,” Khaled said.
Contrary to the perception that it may be overshadowed by the upcoming grand opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum on 3 July, the Tahrir Museum is in fact undergoing extensive upgrades to its exhibition spaces and curatorial narrative, he added.
“These developments are being carried out in collaboration with the European Union and five of Europe’s leading museums, including the Museo Egizio in Turin. Our goal is to preserve the historic character of the Tahrir Museum while enhancing its presentation and visitor experience.”
Khaled affirmed that the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir remains one of the world’s most significant cultural institutions. Since its founding in 1902, it has been a destination for both local and international visitors. Its unparalleled collection continues to be an essential reference for Egyptologists and admirers of ancient Egyptian civilisation around the globe.
CULTURAL DIPLOMACY: Michele Quaroni, the Italian ambassador to Egypt, said that the Rome exhibition is a powerful expression of cultural diplomacy. “It speaks a universal language that transcends borders and unites people through a shared appreciation of heritage,” he said.
It brings together institutions, scholars, and citizens from both countries, reminding us that culture is not only about the past but mainly looks at the future. Longstanding cultural ties between Italy and Egypt, rooted in millennia of Mediterranean exchange, continue to flourish through initiatives like the Rome exhibition, deepening mutual appreciation and collaboration, Quaroni said.
Moamen Othman, head of the Museums Sector at the SCA, described the choice of venue as highly symbolic.
The Scuderie del Quirinale is one of Italy’s most prestigious cultural venues. Located adjacent to the Colonna Gardens and on top of the ruins of the grand Temple of Serapis and in close proximity to the Palazzo del Quirinale, the official residence of the president of the Italian Republic, as well as the Constitutional Court, it is of immense political and historical significance.
“Hosting the exhibition here sends a strong symbolic message about the profound respect and admiration the Italian people have for the Ancient Egyptian civilisation,” Othmen said. “The exhibition promises to be a landmark cultural event that has already generated considerable anticipation among the Italian public.”
The exhibition has been made possible through the efforts of the Ales Arte Lavoro e Servizi S.p.A., the in-house company of the Italian Ministry of Culture, working in partnership with Mondo Mostre, an experienced organiser of international exhibitions.
Matteo Lafranconi, director of the Scuderie del Quirinale, said that the exhibition was a great honour for the institution. Given the importance and exceptional nature of the loans generously provided by Egypt, “it is a unique opportunity to present to the Italian public a culturally ambitious project and to represent, through a cultural offering of the highest prestige, the system of values embodied by the Quirinal identity.”
This is “an identity with millennia-old roots shaped by the merging and mutual enrichment of the great civilisations that developed along the various shores of the Mediterranean,” he said.
“Curating the exhibition has been the most challenging and exhilarating journey of my professional life,” said Tarek Al-Awadi, the curator of the exhibition.
It was very difficult to describe what it means to build an exhibition that will carry the soul of ancient Egypt to the heart of Rome, he said, not only through dazzling objects of gold and stone, but also through stories of discovery, of resilience, and of human ingenuity.
“To honour this major exhibition, we are lending the Mensa Isiaca [Bembine Tablet], the first object in our collection,” said Christian Greco, Director of the Egyptian Museum in Turin. He explained that this object was created in Rome in the first century CE and is “a stunning example of Egypt’s enduring influence on Western art and thought.”
With international anticipation already building, the Treasures of the Pharaohs exhibition is poised to be one of Europe’s most important cultural events of the coming year. Visitors to Rome will not only encounter the majesty of ancient Egypt — they will also experience the timeless power of art to connect the past to the present and shape a shared future.
* A version of this article appears in print in the 5 June, 2025 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly
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