A museum conservator cleans an ancient Egyptian stele.
More than 5,000 objects from ancient Egypt are in the museum’s care, and each object, whether or not it has been on display, requires careful conservation. Through science and art, conservators and researchers preserve and investigate these objects to tell their stories.
After over 30 years, Walton Hall of Ancient Egypt closed in 2023 for conservators to work with the objects displayed there. As conservation work continues, new exhibit areas will open and visitors will have the opportunity to learn from conservators firsthand.
Exhibits at the Museum
On Display
Front Egypt to Pittsburgh:
Sacred Scents
Follow the journey of objects that have never been on view before—from their creation thousands of years ago to present day in the museum’s care. From Egypt to Pittsburgh changes periodically, and currently features four objects focused on the religious use of incense in ancient Egypt.
The Stories We Keep: Conserving Objects from Ancient Egypt
Every Egyptian object in the museum’s care has stories to tell, about its creation and original use, its journey to Pittsburgh, and about the lives of those in ancient Egypt. The Stories We Keep features more than 80 ancient items—including the 4,000-year-old Dahshur boat, one of only four in the world. Engage with these objects like never before, have conversations with museum conservators, observe the care and restoration of objects in real time, and attempt the work yourself by reassembling replicas of ancient artifacts.
The Stories We Keep invites visitors to see these objects—cared for by the Museum for more than a century—in a new light and to witness the work that will preserve them for future generations.
Currently Closed for Conservation
Walton Hall of Ancient Egypt
Walton Hall of Ancient Egypt is currently closed as conservators analyze, clean, and preserve objects in preparation for future exhibitions. See conservators at work in the Object Conservation Lab in R.P. Simmons Family Gallery.
Events
Ask a Conservator
Have you ever wondered how scientists save ancient, fragile objects, what the most persistent museum pests are, or how we know what an object is made of? Now you can ask all your conservation questions right here.
Blogs
The Power of the Falcon in Ancient Egypt
by Raina Holt I have always been super curious about how the natural environment influences people’s beliefs and rituals. As I learned …
Archaeological Adventures in Egypt
Hello! I am Dr. Lisa Saladino Haney, Assistant Curator at Carnegie Museum of Natural History and resident Egyptologist. An Egyptologist is someone …
Egypt and the Nile
Over the course of some five millennia the ancient Egyptians developed a distinctive material culture shaped in large part by their local …
Looking at Love in Ancient Egypt
With Valentine’s Day here, it’s hard to ignore all of the chocolate displays in stores and the sappy movies on TV – …
