The largest Egyptian museum in the world, the one with the most archaeological finds and items from this ancient and rich period – is in Cairo. This is reasonably expected and not surprising. But the museum with the second largest collection in the field is in Turin (and is the largest in the West). So if you are visiting the city, this is a great opportunity to get an impression of one of the ancient and intriguing cultures that were here in the past.
So what is the connection between Turin, in the north of Italy, and Egypt, in Africa? The answer is quite simple: kings from the House of Savoy who lived in Piedmont (a region in today’s northern Italy) bought a collection of Egyptian antiquities in the 19th century. The findings were transferred to a museum established especially for this purpose in 1824, in the capital of the kingdom, which was Turin.
Over 30 thousand items, exhibits, sculptures, paintings, and certificates can be found in the Egyptian Museum, which is one of the main attractions in the city. The tour allows looking closely at mummies, coffins, pottery, ancient jewelry, tools, and papyri. The highlight of the museum display is probably a granite statue of Ramses II from the 13th century BC.
Visitors who come without too much background or knowledge about ancient Egypt will be able to be impressed easily and understand how rich, magnificent, and wise the Egyptian culture and its civilization are. Also, the museum receives an almost perfect score. It is recommended for anyone who visits Turin and wants something beyond food and shopping.
In 2015, a major renovation was completed that almost doubled the display area in the museum and made it much more comprehensive and in-depth. 3D films are projected in the added space, and historical photos are shown.
By the way, if you arrive at the place and it looks familiar to you, it’s not by chance. The movie “The Italian Job” ‘s opening scene was filmed at the museum entrance.
The museum is open every day of the week, but please note that on Mondays, the opening hours are concise – between 9:00 and 14:00. On other days: from 9:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. The price of an adult ticket is 17 euros. Teenagers will pay 14 euros and children only 1 euro, making the family outing quite affordable.
