Visitors to Discovering Ancient Egypt totalled more than any other exhibition at the National Museum of Australia. Photo: National Museum of Australia.
The official figures are in and the National Museum of Australia’s recent exhibition on ancient Egypt has broken yet another record.
Discovering Ancient Egypt, open from 15 December 2023 to 8 September 2024, pulled together artefacts from the Dutch National Museum of Antiquities, including ornate sculptures, rare ‘Book of the Dead’ scrolls, exquisite jewellery, coffins and even real mummies.
A week before it closed, it had already become the most popular exhibition in the museum’s 23-year history.
More than 192,000 visitors from Canberra, interstate and overseas pipped the 178,220 tally which saw the A History of the World in 100 Objects (from the British Museum) in 2016/17.
The final total has now been revealed as 208,000, translating to a mega $27.7 million injection into the ACT’s economy.
For context, the Territory’s leading events, Summernats and Floriade, contribute more than $40 million and $50 million respectively.
National Museum of Australia director Katherine McMahon said the figures not only confirmed Discovering Ancient Egypt to be the most visited exhibition in the museum’s history, but also the one with the greatest economic impact.
“We are absolutely delighted with how well received it has been with locals, and interstate and international visitors,” she said.
“International blockbusters like Discovering Ancient Egypt have important cultural and social value, giving Australians and other visitors a chance to experience history and the world in ways they might not usually get to.
“And of course, exhibitions like this provide a major boost for Canberra’s tourism sector and local economy, firmly establishing the capital as a must-see destination.”
It’s estimated more than half of the visitors, 53 per cent, were from interstate with a further three per cent from overseas. Additionally, 34 per cent were first-time visitors to the museum.
National Museum of Australia senior curator Craig Middleton put the success down to the strength of “people’s fascination with ancient Egypt”.
“Ancient Egyptians have left an incredible historical legacy, with their society, culture and religion continuing to inspire and capture our imaginations today,” he said.
Feeling squeamish? Photo: Michelle Kroll.
“Our exhibition brought people into direct contact with rare and inspiring artefacts from ancient Egypt – from one of the world’s finest collections outside of Egypt – and insights into an incredible history spanning more than 3000 years.”
He said what was “really pleasing about the numbers” was the fact Discovering Ancient Egypt coincided with two similar exhibitions in Australia’s southeast – Rameses and the Gold of the Pharaohs at the Australian Museum in Sydney from November 2023 to May 2024 and Pharoah at the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) in Melbourne from June to October 2024.
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Rameses and the Gold of the Pharaohs was also the most popular exhibition ever for the Australian Museum, selling more than 350,000 tickets.
“Clearly Australians can’t get enough of Egypt,” Mr Middleton said.
“Archaeologists have only scratched the surface of what there is to know about the country’s past, so this fascination is not going anywhere any time soon.”
Discovering Ancient Egypt items came from the Dutch National Museum of Antiquities. Photo: National Museum of Australia.
The National Museum of Australia hopes to keep up the momentum with another blockbuster coming 13 December, POMPEII.
This is said to “combine 90 incredible artefacts from the ancient Roman city, many never before seen in Australia, with a powerful, multisensory immersive experience, including the eruption of Mt Vesuvius”.
Count us in!
Tickets to POMPEII are now for sale on the National Museum of Australia website.
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