Turin: An Unmissable Attraction! The World-Class ‘Egyptian Museum’
📍 Address: Via Accademia delle Scienze, 6, 10123 Torino TO, Italy
Turin, the capital of Italy’s Piedmont region, is a city where royal palaces and a beautiful café culture thrive. Among its many attractions, the ‘Egyptian Museum (Museo Egizio)’ is the most popular among travelers. This museum actually boasts the world’s second-largest collection and quality of artifacts, second only to the museum in Cairo, Egypt. Furthermore, it is the oldest and largest museum dedicated exclusively to Egyptology outside of Egypt.
But why does Turin boast such an extensive collection? Its history dates back to 1824 when the House of Savoy (King Carlo Felice of the Kingdom of Sardinia) purchased a vast collection from Bernardino Drovetti, an explorer who accompanied Napoleon on his Egyptian expedition. Champollion, who successfully deciphered hieroglyphs, also immersed himself in research here, famously stating that ‘the road to Memphis and Thebes passes through Turin.’ This solidifies its status as an extremely important hub in Egyptian archaeology.
Overwhelming Scale! Must-See Exhibition Galleries You Can’t Miss
The museum spans a vast area from the basement to the ground floor, with a total exhibition route exceeding 2km, featuring approximately 4,000 artifacts on permanent display. Given limited travel time, it’s difficult to see everything in detail, so it’s recommended to focus on the absolute must-see highlights.
The greatest highlight is undoubtedly the ‘Gallery of Statues’. In a dramatically lit space ingeniously utilizing mirrors and lighting, colossal statues of pharaohs like Ramesses II, Thutmose III, and Tutankhamun, as well as various deities, are lined up, allowing visitors to directly experience the overwhelming power and majesty of ancient Egypt.
Furthermore, don’t miss the lengthy papyri inscribed with the ‘Book of the Dead,’ crucial for understanding the ancient Egyptians’ view of life and death, and numerous incredibly well-preserved mummies. The grave goods from the ‘Tomb of Kha and Merit,’ discovered almost untouched in 1906, offer a vivid glimpse into the daily lives of people from millennia ago. In the basement, you’ll also find the ‘Temple of Ellesyia,’ which was rescued and relocated due to the risk of being submerged during the construction of the Aswan High Dam. Here, you can truly immerse yourself in the romance of history. There’s even a machine where you can convert your name into hieroglyphs, providing a time-travel-like experience for both adults and children.
[Pro Tips] From Ticket Booking to Navigating the Museum
The Egyptian Museum is an incredibly popular spot, attracting thousands of visitors daily. Therefore, advance ticket booking and time-specific entry are mandatory. Entry is permitted 20 minutes before your designated time, but lateness is strictly prohibited. Rules are rigorous, so make sure to arrive with plenty of time to spare on the day. Turin’s city center is crisscrossed with ‘porticoes’ (covered arcades), making it convenient to access from the central piazzas (squares) even on rainy days without getting wet.
The museum is incredibly vast, and a thorough exploration can take anywhere from half a day to a full day. Simply observing everything might lead to walking fatigue, so to enjoy it more deeply, it is strongly recommended to utilize an audio guide or a guided tour led by a curator on-site, or to study a little about ancient Egyptian history beforehand. (Note: As of now, there are no Japanese explanations or translation services available; visits are in English or Italian.)
Travelers should also be mindful of ‘closing days and opening hours,’ a common pitfall. While the museum is open until evening from Tuesday to Sunday, it closes at ‘2:00 PM (14:00)’ only on Mondays. An underground cloakroom is available for luggage, allowing visitors to explore unburdened even in winter. However, the museum has some drawbacks, such as a limited number of restrooms and no designated areas for packed lunches or snacks. Although there is one café for a brief break inside the museum, to avoid crowds, the best strategy is to book an early morning visit and then enjoy delicious Turin specialties around the outside squares afterward.
