An extremely rare chance to get an up-close look at glittering gold mummies has arrived in Raleigh, N.C.—here's how to see them!



One of the state's most highly anticipated exhibits of 2021 is ready to 'wow' visitors at the North Carolina Museum of Art this spring and summer in Raleigh, N.C.!

In its first appearance at an American art museum, Golden Mummies of Egypt features eight extraordinary, gilded mummies—plus, more than 100 related artifacts including jewelry and ceramics—and explores beliefs about the afterlife when Egypt was part of the Greek and Roman worlds (circa 300 B.C.E.–200 C.E.).

This ticketed exhibition opens to the public on Sat., March 6, and will remain on view through July 11 of this year.

Displaying stunning objects from Manchester Museum’s world-class collections, this exhibition offers an insight into the hopes and fears of the wealthy in society—those who could afford the expensive process of mummification hoped to cheat death. By being covered in gold, the Egyptians hoped to imitate the eternal radiance of the gods themselves.

The exhibition journey traces expectations for the afterlife and introduces cultural constructions of identity, strikingly demonstrated by the haunting painted panel portraits. The practices of preservation and decoration of the body, and the transformation of the deceased into a god, are spectacularly shown by the mummies on display.

Special lectures, studio art workshops, exclusive educator programs, virtual tours and more activities will be scheduled to celebrate the exhibition's visit to the City of Oaks.

The exhibition also ties into the North Carolina Museum of Art's own collection, where Greco-Roman objects are displayed in the Egyptian and classical galleries, including the Gilded Mummy Covering, circa 300 B.C.E; Aphrodite-Isis from the first to second century; and the Portrait Head of a Coffin, circa 100–150 C.E. After visitors view Golden Mummies, they can visit the free museum collection to see more gold and mummy-related objects from this period and beyond.
 

Tickets

Exhibition tickets are $20 for nonmember adults, $17 for seniors and $14 for youth ages 7–18 and are currently on sale. Note that tickets are purchased for a specific day and time. 
 

Health and safety

Capacity at the museum is currently limited due to COVID-19. Visitors are required to wear a face covering while visiting the galleries. Hand sanitization stations are located through the museum, and some galleries are now one-way paths to help with social distancing. The museum park remains free and open to the public during daylight hours with no reservations needed to visit. The museum gallery hours are Wed.-Sun., 10am-5pm, and a free, timed reservation is required to visit (if not purchasing tickets to Golden Mummies).
 

Accessibility notes

  • Free ADA-compliant parking is available
  • Curb cuts are located at all entrances to the museum
  • Motorized and regular wheelchairs of standard size are available free of charge and may be checked out at the information desks in both buildings
  • Elevators are available to all floors of East Building; West Building is a single story
  • Accessible restrooms are available in West Building and on the top three levels of East Building
  • Family restrooms are available in the Education Lobby of East Building; please ask a guard for assistance to access the family restrooms in West Building
  • Museum entrances have automatic doors
  • Service animals are welcome
  • Large-print label text is available at the entrance for some special exhibitions
     

About the North Carolina Museum of Art

Open since 1956, the North Carolina Museum of Art’s permanent collection spans more than 5,000 years, from ancient Egypt to the present, making the institution one of the premier art museums in the South. The Museum’s collection provides educational, aesthetic, intellectual and cultural experiences for the citizens of North Carolina and beyond. The 164-acre museum park showcases the connection between art and nature through site-specific works of environmental art. The museum offers changing national touring exhibitions, classes, lectures, family activities, films and concerts.
 
The Museum opened the West Building, home to the permanent collection, in 2010. Architectural Record has named it among the world's most important works of architecture.

 

Goes great with a trip to: 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by CAM Raleigh (@cam_raleigh)

 

Header photo: Egyptian, from Hawara, Mummy of a woman called Isaious,1st century C.E., human remains, linen, plaster and gold leaf, Manchester Museum, © 2020 ManchesterMuseum / Michael Pollard Photographer

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