The National Museum of Egyptian Civilization in Fustat, Cairo, recently hosted a major meeting between Egypt’s Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Sharif Fathy, the Ambassador of the Republic of Singapore to Cairo, Dominic Goh, and the CEO of the company organizing the exhibition “Ramses and the Gold of the Pharaohs”, Ron Tan, and his delegation.
At the heart of the discussions at the meeting was the possibility of extending the duration of the exhibition “Ramses and the Gold of the Pharaohs” during its upcoming stopover in Tokyo, Japan, from six to nine months. This decision is aimed at responding to the growing interest of visitors from various Japanese cities for Egyptian artifacts and for an immersion in ancient Egyptian civilization.
The company’s market research in the Japanese market predicts a massive influx of visitors and a great success for the exhibition, given the Japanese enthusiasm for ancient Egyptian civilization.
In addition to this potential extension, the meeting also discussed the possibility of organizing a number of temporary archaeological exhibitions around the world to promote ancient Egyptian civilization to an international audience.
Discussions also focused on the possibility of extending the duration of the exhibition and organizing it in other countries around the world after its conclusion in Tokyo. This decision follows the great success of the exhibition during its various stages, from its beginning in November 2021 in Houston, United States, to its fourth stop in July 2024 in Cologne, Germany.
A more ambitious proposal was raised during the meeting: that of organizing a series of traveling temporary archaeological exhibitions with different themes to narrate the different historical periods of ancient Egyptian civilization. The Minister welcomed these suggestions, expressing his agreement in principle pending further study.
The exhibition “Ramses and the Gold of the Pharaohs” highlights 180 carefully selected artifacts from the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir from the time of King Ramses II. It also features the sarcophagus of the same king from the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization, as well as other finds from the Egyptian mission in the Bubastis region of Saqqara, alongside collections from other Egyptian museums.
Statues, jewelry, cosmetics, paintings, inscribed stone blocks, and even colorful wooden coffins illustrate some of the distinctive features of ancient Egyptian civilization from the Middle Kingdom to the Late Period.
The exhibition began its journey outside Egypt in Houston in November 2021, before traveling to San Francisco, Paris, Sydney, and finally CologneIts international success is a testament to the global appeal of the fascinating heritage of ancient Egypt and underlines the importance of promoting this rich culture around the world.