In 1906 the founders of the Toledo Museum of Art, Edward Drummond Libbey and Florence Scott Libbey, visited Egypt, where they purchased a pair of Egyptian mummies as part of a collection of artifacts. Due to conservation issues and ethical considerations surrounding the display of human bodies, these mummies are only occasionally on view. This special installation will trace the history of Egyptian mummies, from their lives and the burial rituals associated with them in Ancient Egypt to their rediscovery during the Napoleonic era and the Egyptomania craze that followed.

Egyptian artworks from the Museum’s collection and loans from other institutions will help situate the mummies in their historical context. The exhibition will also explore several intersecting issues for TMA and other cultural museums related to the collecting and display of human remains, including whose mummies are these, do they belong in an art museum and what can we learn from them?

The Mummies: From Egypt to Toledo is sponsored by Block Communications, Inc., KeyBank, Taylor Cadillac, and the Ohio Arts Council with additional support from 2018 Exhibition Program Sponsor ProMedica.

Admission: Free for Museum members, $10 for nonmembers. Discounted tickets available for seniors, college students and military personnel ($7) and youth ages 5-17 ($5). Admission for school groups is free.