Museum collections

Abstract

Egyptological museum collections are the principal means of interacting physically with pharaonic material culture. Such collections of objects have a partial, often fragmentary, nature and are usually biased in favour of monumental and funerary sources. This chapter delineates the background to the acquisition of objects and the formation of museum collections—notably through the elaborate antiquities trade network rather than through archaeological ‘discovery’. The resulting museum representations of ‘ancient Egypt’ attempt to elide many gaps in the material record to form a coherent (but often simplistic) narrative. Museums attempt to balance conservation, accessibility and research, while utilizing the popular appeal of ‘ancient Egypt’ to engage with a wide audience. Awareness of these factors is important in understanding Egyptology’s reconstruction of pharaonic civilization.