Egyptian Collection

The Egyptian Collection covers the period from Egyptian prehistory around 5500 BC to the Christian era in the seventh century AD. Displayed are mainly everyday objects and artifacts of the belief in the afterlife. Including ceramic and stone vessels, bronze votive offerings as well as burial objects and grave goods, the collection shows an impressive spectrum of Egyptian culture, whose relics offer a profound insight into pharaonic Egypt.

Among the outstanding highlights are the offering chamber of Seschemnefer III and his wive Hetepheres from Giza and the coffin of Idi from Asyut, its lid equipped with a sidereal clock that is only rarely preserved.

To the collection in the eMuseum (selection)

Highlights of the Collection

View of two walls of the Egyptian sacrificial chamber meeting at right angles with a visible false door; the walls are decorated with hieroglyphic inscriptions, with partly surviving paint in dark red, beige and blue
Photo: MUT | Valentin Marquardt
The sacrificial chamber of Seschemnefer III from Giza is one of the scientific and popular highlights at the same time. Painted limestone, approx. 2380 BCE.
Coffin of Idi from Asyut, the lid of which is decorated with a seldom surviving sidereal clock. Plaster on wood, approx. 1900 BCE.
Wooden coffin lid, decorated with hieroglyphs against black background
Photo: MUT
Bronze figure of a shrew with wings engraved on its back, looking left against black background
Photo: MUT
Figure of a shrew (Herpestes ichneumon). Bronze, 7th Century BCE to 3rd Century CE.

One of the most important Egyptological university collections

The foundation of the collection was laid at the beginning of the 20th century, mainly through numerous donations by Ernst von Sieglin. Sieglin's donations are still the main attraction of the collection today and have made it known beyond Germany. After the foundation of the Egyptological Institute in 1959, it was mainly thanks to the institute's founder Hellmut Brunner and his wife Emma Brunner-Traut that the collection could be steadily expanded.

In addition to purchases and donations, the ancient Egyptian holdings of the Lindenmuseum in Stuttgart were acquired; numerous other objects are on permanent loan from the Landesmuseum Württemberg in Stuttgart.

Conceived primarily as a teaching collection for students and a research facility for specialists, the collection provides a complete overview of life in ancient Egypt. However, due to the exceptional quality of many of the exhibits, it also offers interested laypersons an excellent opportunity to familiarize themselves with the culture of Pharaonic Egypt.

Visit museum

Opening hours

Wed to Sun from 10am to 5pm
Thurs from 10am to 7pm

Tours

“Sundays at 3” all year round
Group and school tours by appointment
Book tour

Tel: 07071-2977579

Curator

Custodian
Dr. Carolina Teotino-Tattko
Tel: 07071-2976061

Send email

Admission

Adults: 5€
Reduced: 3€ (children, pupils, students, pensioners, severely disabled people)
Family ticket: 12€
Students of Tübingen: Free of charge

Address

Egyptian Collection | Museum Ancient Cultures
Burgsteige 11 | Hohentübingen Castle
72070 Tübingen