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Cairo’s Royal Mummies: A Visitor’s Guide
The Royal Mummies Gallery at the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization (NMEC) in Fustat is the place to see Cairo’s royal mummies. Its collection includes celebrated rulers such as Hatshepsut, Thutmose III, Seti I and Ramesses II. The displays explain mummification, royal burial customs and beliefs about the afterlife. For more ideas for exploring the capital, see our Cairo Travel Guide.
Where Can You See the Royal Mummies in Cairo?
The royal mummies are housed at NMEC in Fustat, Cairo. They were transferred from the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square during the Pharaohs’ Golden Parade in 2021.
The gallery evokes the atmosphere of the Valley of the Kings, where many of these rulers were originally buried.
What Is Inside the Royal Mummies Gallery?
The gallery presents royal mummies from the 17th to the 20th dynasties, including rulers of the New Kingdom. If you wish to see a particular mummy, check the museum’s current gallery information, as displays can change.
Alongside the mummies, the displays explore burial customs, beliefs about the afterlife and the techniques used to preserve the body. Funerary objects, including royal coffins, help place the mummies in their historical and religious context.
Famous Royal Mummies to See
Among the best-known rulers represented in the collection are Hatshepsut, Thutmose III, Seqenenre Taa II, Seti I and Ramesses II. Their lives span different chapters of ancient Egyptian history.
Other royal mummies include Amenhotep I, Thutmose I, Thutmose II, Amenhotep II, Amenhotep III and several later Ramesside kings. The gallery offers a chance to learn about successive generations of rulers and their legacies.
Read the accompanying labels to understand each ruler’s place in Egypt’s history, rather than viewing the mummies only as individual exhibits.
Why Were Egyptian Kings Mummified?
Ancient Egyptians believed that preserving the body was essential to a person’s continued existence after death. Mummification was therefore closely connected to religious beliefs and burial rituals.
Pharaohs held both political and religious authority. Their bodies were carefully preserved, and their tombs were furnished with objects intended to support them in the afterlife.
The royal mummies help visitors understand these beliefs and the care devoted to preparing the dead for the next world.
Visiting the Royal Mummies in Cairo
The National Museum of Egyptian Civilization is in Fustat, Cairo, beside Ain El-Sira. Allow time for the Royal Mummies Gallery and the museum’s other collections, which trace Egyptian civilisation from prehistory to modern times.
Check the museum’s official opening hours, ticket options and visitor rules before travelling. You can also include the museum in Cairo day tours alongside other historic attractions.
A visit brings together the stories of individual rulers and the broader history of Egyptian society.
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