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Discovering Ancient Egypt
Sessions have limited capacity.
Book online before arrival to secure your preferred time.
Recommended for all ages.
Children under 12 must be accompanied by a carer or guardian.
Please read the subject matter warning before visiting.
About
Journey back through time to explore the mysteries, artistry and rituals from one of the world's most captivating civilisations in Discovering Ancient Egypt.
This remarkable exhibition from the Dutch National Museum of Antiquities (Rijksmuseum van Oudheden) offers a rare glimpse into the culture, daily life and beliefs practiced in ancient Egypt.
Explore stunning 3D light projections of the Temple of Taffeh, ornate sculptures and design, excerpts from sacred ceremonies including rare Book of the Dead scrolls, precious jewellery and collections of artefacts and artwork that transcend time and exemplify the Egyptian’s famed craftsmanship.
Book online in advance to secure your preferred time. Popular entry times sell out in advance.
Curated events & experiences
Dine in the Temple Bar, learn from an Egyptologist and discover ancient Egypt in a whole new way.
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FAQs
The Dutch National Museum of Antiquities (Rijksmuseum van Oudheden) brings archaeology and the ancient world to life with one of the world’s top ten Egyptian collections. Their collections are defined by the age-old civilisations of Egypt, the Classical World, the ancient Near East, and the Netherlands in prehistoric, Roman, and medieval times.
This is not a hands-on exhibition due to the nature of the displays and exhibits. We kindly ask our visitors to take note of the signs and be respectful throughout their visit.
Please allow 90 minutes to experience the exhibition.
Photography is permitted for personal use only, no commercial photography. No flash, tripods or selfie sticks please. No photography of mummified human remains. Please follow sign directions.
Yes, a limited number of season passes are available until sold out. To purchase, select 'Buy a Season Pass' via the exhibition booking page and follow the prompts.
Acknowledgements
The Australian tour of the Discovering Ancient Egypt exhibition is a partnership between the Rijksmuseum van Oudheden, Queensland Museum, the National Museum of Australia and the Western Australian Museum.
The exhibition is supported by the Australian Government International Exhibitions Insurance (AGIEI) Program. The program provides funding for the purchase of insurance for significant cultural exhibitions. Without AGIEI, the high cost of insuring significant cultural items would prohibit this major exhibition from touring to Australia.
Events & Programs
Delve deeper into the Discovering Ancient Egypt exhibition with our exciting program of events designed to enhance your museum experience.
Subscribe to stay up to date on when new events and programs are released.
King Tut's Curse and the “Truth” about Ancient Egypt
Explore the power struggle between scientific and sensational interpretations of ancient Egypt in this talk presented by anthropologist and Egyptologist Dr Jasmine Day.
Hearts of Glass: The Neiger Brothers’ Egyptian Revival Jewellery
Dive into the history of early 20th century glass jewellery and the influence of Tutankhamun’s tomb upon these spectacular designs.
Sexuality, Gender, and the Divine in the Ancient World
Join Professor Alastair Blanshard to discover the vivid and intimate mythological stories of the ancient Egyptians and their influence on civilisation.
Pyramids and Pop Culture
Join a lively discussion-slash-trivia-game to test your knowledge of ancient Egypt and pop moments that owe their success to this fascinating civilisation.
The Sacred Ibis
Hear groundbreaking research on the genetics of The Sacred Ibis, once thought to be farmed for the purpose of sacrifice for the god Thoth in Ancient Egypt.
Hounds of Ancient Egypt
Gain a fascinating insight into ancient canine burials, the relationship between dogs and humans and their use as votive offerings during ancient Egyptian times.
Sensory Friendly Sessions: Discovering Ancient Egypt
Our Sensory Friendly Sessions offer a relaxed, fun and supportive atmosphere for people on the autism spectrum or with other access requirements to explore the museum and Discovering Ancient Egypt.
Pyramid Bar
Drop into the Pyramid Bar from 5:30pm every Friday night in February.
Discovering Ancient Egypt: After Hours
Journey to the afterlife, after hours with Discovering Ancient Egypt, open late every Friday night in February.
Visit as a school
Bookings are essential for all school and children’s group visits.
A discounted price of $15 per ticket is available for booked groups. A group is identified as 10+ students/children plus their supervising adults, attending together.
- School group (Prep – Year 12)
- Children’s group (children aged 3 - 15 years)
- Teachers and adult supervisors are FREE within our visit ratios. Extra adult supervisors are charged the discounted adult concession price.
Schools experiencing socio-educational disadvantage (ICSEA below 1000) may be able to book discounted exhibition tickets.
Teacher resources
Discovering Ancient Egypt supports Year 3 - Year 4 HASS, Year 5 - Year 6 HASS, Year 7 History and Ancient History Unit 1 learning areas of the Australian National Curriculum v.9.0.
Download teacher resources here.
- Teacher Resource: Discovering Ancient Egypt HASS Year 3 - Year 4
- Teacher Resource: Discovering Ancient Egypt HASS Year 5 - Year 6
- Teacher Resource: Discovering Ancient Egypt History Year 7
- Teacher Resource: Discovering Ancient Egypt Ancient History Senior syllabus Unit 1
Upcoming events
Museum Meet Up Term 2: Science & Technology and the Ancient World
Spend a day at Queensland Museum with this immersive learning opportunity, focusing on The Ancient World and Science as a Human Endeavour.
A Deep Dive into Egyptology: With Dr Jasmine Day
Join us for a presentation by Egyptologist, Dr Jasmine Day – author and presenter with TV's Egypt's Unexplained Files.
QM Loans
Become a QM Loans subscriber and borrow curriculum aligned kits of museum specimens from QM Loans to engage learners in your classroom. A range of subscriptions are available for schools and community groups.
QM Loans
Borrow museum objects to connect learners with Queensland’s diverse cultures, histories and natural environments.
Discovering Ancient Egypt self-guided tours
Discovering Ancient Egypt is a new exhibition from the Dutch National Museum of Antiquities that presents more than 220 fascinating objects spanning over 3,000 years of society and culture.
Take a free self-guided audio or Auslan tour, before, during or after your visit. Please bring your own headphones and use your device to connect to the museum's free wifi.
Self-guided tour
Discover more about the exhibition’s most intriguing objects, as chosen by our curators, and presented by Egyptian–Australian actor Helana Sawires.
Kids tour
Join guides Cleocatra the cat and Ahmose the ba bird as they explore the exhibition. Perfect for kids and families.
Auslan tour
Discover more about the exhibition’s most intriguing objects, as chosen by our curators and signed by Expression Australia.
Eye Spy Kids Booklet
Eye Spy Kids Booklet
Download our free Eye Spy booklet for a fun and interactive way to explore Discovering Ancient Egypt.
Discovering Ancient Egypt Competition
Win a $1,000 Queensland Museum voucher to shop like Egyptian royalty in our retail space.
When you visit Discovering Ancient Egypt, we’re giving one lucky winner the chance to win a $1,000 shopping spree at Queensland Museum Kurilpa’s retail space. The prize includes:
- 1 x $1,000 Queensland Museum Shop voucher (valid for 12 months from issue date).
This competition runs between Thursday 24 October 2024 and Monday 18 August 2025. The winner will be drawn Friday 22 August 2025 and notified by phone or email by Friday 29 August 2025.
Book your tickets to Discovering Ancient Egypt and don’t forget to enter the competition at the end of your visit. Good luck!
Read the competition Terms and Conditions.
Find out more about Queensland Museum’s Privacy Policy.
Additional information
Please be advised that this exhibition includes sensitive subject matter, including the display of human and animal remains. In a separate gallery, there are five mummified individuals, the woman Ta(net)kharu or Tadis, the young girl Sensaos, the man Harerem, an unknown male and an unknown female.
Visitors have the option to bypass this gallery if they prefer.
While these remains are in the Museum’s care, we honour them with respect and dignity. We have consulted with First Nations groups and Egyptian–Australian communities about their display.
We approach this matter with a deep sense of responsibility and the trust placed in us. The existence of these remains encourages contemplation of profound questions about life, death, and the evolution of funerary rites and practices over time.
We hope the exhibition prompts visitors to reflect on these same big questions.
We offer a range of downloadable accessibility and sensory resources for moving around the museum, to help plan your visit.
You can discover more about the exhibition’s most intriguing objects during your visit with our Discovering Ancient Egypt Auslan tour, signed by Expression Australia.
For accessibility assistance and resources for this exhibition, please visit our accessibility page or contact the museum on (07) 3153 3000.
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Accessibility
Accessibility and sensory information to help you plan your visit to Queensland Museum Kurilpa.
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