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Museums #1 in Turin

Museo Egizio

4.7 · 66,795 reviews
Quiet and scholarly with dimly lit, immersive galleries.
Museo Egizio, Via Accademia delle Scienze, 6, 10123 Torino TO, Italy
Interesting facts
1

The museum holds the Mensa Isiaca, a bronze tablet once rumored to be an authentic ritual object, but later identified as a Roman-era imitation of Egyptian style.

2

The collection of papyri includes the world's oldest map, the Turin Papyrus Map, showing gold mines in the Eastern Desert.

3

Many items originated from the collection of Bernardino Drovetti, a Piedmontese diplomat who served as Consul General of France in Egypt during the early 19th century.

4

The tomb of Kha and Merit remains unique because it was discovered intact in 1906, meaning the items were found exactly where they were placed 3,400 years ago.

5

The museum's Statuary Gallery was designed by Dante Ferretti, a three-time Academy Award-winning set designer.

6

The museum contains an extensive collection of funerary masks and canopic jars used in the mummification process.

Overview

The Museo Egizio in Turin is the oldest museum globally dedicated entirely to ancient Egyptian culture and the second most important Egyptian collection after the Cairo Museum. Housed in the 17th-century Collegio dei Nobili, it features over 30,000 artifacts dating from the Paleolithic to the Coptic era. The collection includes the complete tomb of Kha and Merit, a rare example of a non-royal burial preserved with its original funerary equipment. Visitors view the monumental Statuary Gallery, which showcases large-scale sculptures of pharaohs and deities, including Ramses II. The museum displays the Papyrus of Turin, a significant document containing the royal canon of Egyptian kings. Thousands of items, including sarcophagi, shabti figures, and everyday personal objects, illustrate daily life and afterlife beliefs. The museum underwent a major architectural renovation in 2015 to modernize lighting and exhibition flow across its multi-floor layout.

Photo spot

The Statuary Gallery, where soft overhead lighting creates dramatic shadows against the dark stone pharaoh statues.

Insider tips

Book entry tickets online in advance to skip the queue, as it is one of Italy's most visited museums.

Use the provided audio guide to navigate the chronological layout, as English signage can be limited in older sections.

Start from the top floor and work your way down to follow the historical timeline in logical order.

What to avoid

Do not attempt to see everything in one go; focus on the main tomb reconstructions to avoid museum fatigue.

Good to know

Closed every Monday; open all other days.

Etiquette

Maintain a quiet volume; flash photography is strictly prohibited to protect ancient pigments.

Plan your visit
Typical visit
2.5-3.5 hours
Best time to visit
Weekday mornings shortly after opening to avoid large school groups and weekend crowds.
Address
Museo Egizio, Via Accademia delle Scienze, 6, 10123 Torino TO, Italy
45.068, 7.684
Get directions
Details
Key exhibitsTomb of Kha and Merit, Statuary Gallery, Turin Papyrus Map, Papyrus of the Kings

Frequently asked

Plan for about 2.5-3.5 hours to see the highlights.

The best time to visit is Weekday mornings shortly after opening to avoid large school groups and weekend crowds..

The Statuary Gallery, where soft overhead lighting creates dramatic shadows against the dark stone pharaoh statues.

Close by you'll find Mole Antonelliana, Piazza San Carlo, Parco del Valentino.