As Egypt expands its cultural diplomacy footprint, temporary exhibitions of ancient artefacts abroad are emerging as powerful engines for global outreach, captivating audiences, strengthening partnerships, and driving thousands to seek out the sites where these treasures were unearthed.
With two major exhibitions now launched in Italy and Hong Kong, Egypt is harnessing heritage to fuel a new era of cultural tourism.
Around the world, ancient Egypt continues to hold an unrivalled magnetism, and Egypt is increasingly leveraging this global fascination through strategic travelling exhibitions that bring its history directly to international audiences. These temporary showcases, organised in collaboration with leading museums and cultural institutions, offer more than a glimpse into a 7,000-year civilisation; they serve as persuasive invitations to explore the very landscapes where these masterpieces were discovered.
In the past weeks alone, Egypt has unveiled two landmark exhibitions, one in Italy entitled “Treasures of the Pharaohs” and another in Hong Kong called “Ancient Egypt Unveiled: Treasures from Egyptian Museums”, featuring rare artefacts, newly excavated discoveries, and iconic Pharaonic masterpieces. These exhibitions have drawn record crowds, ignited public imagination, and sparked renewed interest in visiting Egypt’s archaeological sites from Saqqara to Luxor.
By transporting fragments of Egypt’s rich heritage across continents, the exhibitions are reshaping how the world engages with the country’s past, transforming cultural admiration into tourism, academic collaboration, and deeper international ties.
Mohamed Ismail Khaled, secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA), described the early public response to Egypt’s recent exhibitions abroad as “nothing short of remarkable”, noting the surge of interest they have generated in a very short time.
“In just four days, our exhibition in Hong Kong welcomed more than 16,000 visitors, while the exhibition in Italy, which opened at the end of October, has already attracted over 64,000,” he said. Across both cities, long queues have become a daily sight, with visitors lining up outside the exhibition halls, an unmistakable sign of the enduring global fascination with ancient Egypt and the powerful pull of seeing these treasures up close.
On 20 November, the Hong Kong Palace Museum (HKPM) lifted the curtain on “Ancient Egypt Unveiled: Treasures from Egyptian Museums”, a breath-taking journey into five millennia of civilisation, myth, and artistry.
“This exhibition is far more than a display of artefacts; it is a powerful testament to how culture can connect nations and open new paths for dialogue and understanding,” said Khaled. His words capture the essence of the exhibition, which acts as a cultural bridge between Egypt’s timeless heritage and Hong Kong’s creative energy.
For nine and a half months, Gallery 9 of the HKPM will offer an immersive gateway into the world of the Pharaohs, marking the largest and most comprehensive presentation of Egyptian antiquities ever staged in the city. As the first major showcase sourced directly from Egyptian museums, the exhibition also stands as a milestone in cultural cooperation, arriving on the eve of the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Egypt and China.
Yomna Al-Bahar, deputy minister of tourism and antiquities, called the exhibition “a living conversation between Egypt’s timeless legacy and the city of Hong Kong”, while Bernard Charnwut Chan of the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority celebrated the HKPM’s growing role as a venue for global cultural dialogue.
Inside the exhibition: For visitors, the magic begins the moment they step inside, with towering statues of Pharaohs, meticulously painted coffins, shimmering gold jewellery, animal mummies, and rare archaeological discoveries reshaping understanding of the ancient world.
The exhibition brings together 250 carefully selected artefacts drawn from leading Egyptian museums, including the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square, the Matrouh National Museum, the Kafr Al-Sheikh National Museum, the Luxor Museum of Ancient Egyptian Art, and the Sohag National Museum.
Adding to its significance, it also features newly uncovered discoveries from the Saqqara archaeological site, alongside a curated group of objects previously displayed in the “Top of the Pyramid: The Civilisation of Ancient Egypt” exhibition at the Shanghai Museum in China.
Among the treasures are the only surviving monumental stone sculpture of Tutankhamun, over 60 statues of Pharaohs and deities, seven coffins and eight animal mummies, including sacred cats from Saqqara, newly discovered artefacts, and exquisite stelae, funerary masks, goldwork, and objects of daily life.
Many of these artefacts have never travelled outside Egypt, making Hong Kong the first city to unveil them to the world.
The exhibition unfolds across four immersive chapters including the “Land of the Pharaohs” representing a vivid introduction to ancient Egyptian life, from religion and royal power to food, dress, and daily rituals. “The World of Tutankhamun” is an intimate look at the boy-king, whose tomb’s dramatic rediscovery in 1922 remains archaeology’s greatest story.
“The Secrets of Saqqara” is a gripping encounter with one of Egypt’s most active archaeological zones. Recent excavations there have revealed coffins, mummies, and sacred animal burials that stunned the world in 2019 and 2020. The last chapter is “Ancient Egypt and the World”, a meditation on how civilisations meet, influence, and inspire, featuring Egyptian and Chinese artefacts displayed side by side.
The exhibition blends heritage with innovation. Projection mapping recreates the original colours of a damaged Tutankhamun statue, while interactive digital stations teach visitors how to write in hieroglyphs, design ancient architecture, and decode symbols of Egyptian mythology.
Families can embark on Little Pharaohs workshops, build their own pyramids, join curator-led tours, or enjoy live Egyptian dance performances supported by the Bank of China (Hong Kong). The museum has also released a bilingual exhibition catalogue and audio guide narrated by a leading Egyptologist, transforming the visit into a scholarly exploration.
For nearly 10 months, millions will have the chance to walk through five thousand years of history, an experience that promises wonder, discovery, and a deeper appreciation for one of the greatest civilisations ever to grace the Earth.
IN ROME: In late October, Rome was captivated by the opening of the “Treasures of the Pharaohs” exhibition at the Scuderie del Quirinale, the prestigious presidential exhibition galleries overlooking the Quirinal Palace.
The exhibition was inaugurated by Italian President Sergio Mattarella, and the opening ceremony brought together key figures from both countries, including Egypt’s Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Sherif Fathy, Italy’s Minister of Culture Alessandro Giuli, Egypt’s Ambassador to Rome Bassem Radi, and Mohamed Ismail Khaled of the SCA, along with leading Italian ministers, museum directors, and cultural voices.
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.
It is only the second time that 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. There are materials from 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 is contributing to the exhibition with items from its collection.
The exhibition’s design relies on the interplay of light, rhythm, and atmosphere to shape the visitor experience. Each object is individually illuminated, emerging almost sculpturally against darkened walls that strip away visual noise and direct attention to the artefacts themselves. The spatial composition invites unhurried viewing, creating a quiet dialogue between antiquity and the contemporary setting. Natural elements, such as wooden columns, raw linen panels, and understated graphic treatments, echo the materials of ancient Egypt, lending the galleries a sense of warmth and immersion.
The journey is further enriched through thoughtful multimedia integration. Interactive stations offer 3D reconstructions of temples, tombs, and ancient urban landscapes, helping visitors visualise the original environments from which the objects came. In one experimental area, augmented-reality overlays bring carved reliefs to life, animating scenes and symbols in ways that clarify the mechanics of ancient Egyptian visual language, an approach that resonates particularly well with younger audiences.
JOURNEYS: The exhibition unfolds across six thematic chapters, each illuminating a defining dimension of ancient Egyptian civilisation.
The opening section, the “Divine Power of the Pharaohs”, examines the king’s role as the vital intermediary between gods and humankind. Regal statues, monumental reliefs, and official inscriptions illustrate this sacred authority, including the celebrated Triad of Menkaure, an Old Kingdom masterpiece depicting the pharaoh standing between the goddess Hathor and a provincial deity, a striking embodiment of the unity between earthly and divine power.
In “Religion and Daily Spirituality”, visitors encounter the profound religiosity that permeated every aspect of Egyptian life. Cult objects, amulets, votive figurines, and richly illustrated papyri shed light on the rituals of death, rebirth, and devotion. Among the standout pieces is a remarkably preserved, fully illustrated copy of the Book of the Dead, painted across more than five metres of papyrus.
The third section on “Art and Symbolism” reveals how aesthetics and meaning were inseparable in ancient Egypt. Painted stelae, ceremonial vessels, bas-reliefs, and royal jewellery demonstrate how artistic expression conveyed spiritual and political messages. A particularly exquisite example is a gold pectoral inlaid with semi-precious stones that once belonged to Queen Tiye and showcases the extraordinary craftsmanship of New Kingdom goldsmiths.
The narrative then moves to the “Journey to the Afterlife”, a deeply evocative exploration of funerary beliefs and the promise of immortality. Sarcophagi, funerary masks, ushabti figurines, and ritual offerings illustrate the complex preparations for the next world. A highlight is the polychrome wooden sarcophagus of a priest of Amun, exhibited outside Egypt for the first time.
In the fifth section, the “Tomb as Eternal Home”, immersive reconstructions allow visitors to symbolically step inside a Theban tomb. The meticulously recreated wall decorations offer vivid insight into the sacred iconography that shaped the Egyptian understanding of life after death.
The final section highlights recent archaeological discoveries, with a special focus on the so-called “Golden City”. The excavation of this revealed an extensive urban settlement dating to the reigns of Amenhotep III and Akhenaten, offering an intimate glimpse into everyday life and the extraordinary ingenuity of the artisans who shaped Egypt’s monumental legacy.
“This exhibition is not a reconstruction of the past,” Khaled said, “but a living dialogue with it.” The statues, masks, and papyri on display, he added, were created to defy oblivion, each carrying its own enduring testament to how beauty, knowledge, and craftsmanship can transcend time.
He highlighted the significance of Egyptian-Italian collaboration on antiquities, describing 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.
As these exhibitions draw record crowds from Rome to Hong Kong, their impact extends far beyond the museum walls. Each artefact becomes an ambassador, sparking curiosity and inspiring visitors to see the sites where these treasures were unearthed. In this way, Egypt’s travelling exhibitions are not only celebrating the past; they are actively shaping the future of cultural tourism, turning moments of wonder abroad into journeys home.
* A version of this article appears in print in the 27 November, 2025 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly
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