Running until May 19, 2024, The Australian Museum is currently hosting an exhibition centred on the Egyptian Pharoah Ramses II. This was a great opportunity to see some of the most important artifacts from ancient Egypt, without having to leave Australia.
Featuring over 180 artifacts, this is a large exhibition that we found fascinating from beginning to end. Starting with a short video presentation covering Ramses II’s life, it then proceeds through a series of display rooms containing the exhibits. Each section also has videos playing describing the artefacts in more detail.
Additional displays covered other aspects of Ancient Egypt, with one of the most striking being Sennedjem’s outer coffin. An artist, he worked on the tombs of Ramses and his father Seti while working on his own coffin on his days off.
Amazing jewelry, mummies of cats and crocodiles, masks and weapons gave diversity to what was displayed. As usual, the last room was a gift shop, where books and souvenirs could be purchased.
Head of a Colossal Statue of Ramses IIUpper part of an obeliskStatue of Ramses II as a sphynxRamses II showing him capturing enemies: a Nubian, a Libyan and a Syrian.Queen Tuya, Ramses motherSennedjem’s outer coffin. An artist, he worked on the tombs of Ramses and his father SetiGilded wooden mask from the tomb of Amenemope a scribe and sageGirdle of Princess Merit (bottom) and collar of Princess Neferuptah (top)Mummified catCoffin of a cat mummyCoffin and coffinettes of Sheshonq IIGold funerary mask of General WendjebauendjedBust of Merenptah, Ramses successorOuter coffin lid of Pinudjem II’s wife Princess Nesikhonsu (left) and inner coffin lid of Pinudjem ICoffin of Ramses IIRamses II
Located on Bridge St, not far from Circular Quay, the Museum of Sydney focuses on the history of the city with an emphasis on the impact white settlement had and still has on Aboriginal People.
Bust of Captain Arthur Phillip, commander of the First Fleet and the First Governor of Australia
Getting There
As with many attractions in Sydney, public transport is the easiest and cheapest way to travel. We caught the Light Rail from Central Station, getting off the Bridge Street stop. From here, it was an easy 5-minute walk to the museum.
Entry
Entry was free with staff only requesting a post code to see where visitors were from.
Exhibits
Edge of Trees
Located in the museum’s forecourt, these 29 pillars represent 29 clans from the Sydney area.
Edge of Trees
The First Fleet
The first display we saw was a series of scale models of the first fleet. This impressive display had each ship represented along with a short description and history. Many of the names of these ships are commemorated in Royal Australian Navy ships and Sydney Harbour ferries.
Model ships of the First FleetHMS Sirius Flagship of the First Fleet
Government House
A model of the original Government House shows how the site appeared in the 1780s. This building was the centre of colonial administration for 57 years until replaced by the new Government House.
Located in the museum’s forecourt on Bridge Street, a glass-fronted display provides a view of subterranean remains of the first Government House. Inside the museum, near the gift shop, additional glass panels in the floor provide glimpses of archaeological remains, including foundations and drains.
Model of the First Government HouseModel of the First Government House
Special Exhibition: The Sydney Opera House
The top floor of the Museum houses rotating displays, often with an aboriginal theme. During our visit, the Sydney Opera House’ 50th anniversary was being celebrated. As a result, there was a large exhibition detailing its history.
This exhibit only runs until 12 November 2023, when it will be replaced by a new series of displays.
Lego Model of the Opera HouseWoven Model of the Opera HousePosters of shows held at the Sydney Opera HouseCostume worn by Dame Joan Sutherland in Lucrezia Borgia
Celebrating female power through the ages, Feared and Revered examines the diversity of spiritual females from cultures across the globe. Located at the National Museum of Australia in Canberra, until 27 August 2023, the exhibition has over 160 objects from the British Museum. There is also a section on Australian Indigenous female ancestral figures.
What’s on Display
With artifacts from six continents covering 5,000 years, the variety of items on display is impressive. If you like ancient history or archaeology, you will love this exhibition, because of its diversity. Not only does it cover the usual Egyptian and Greek periods, but includes China, India, South America and the Pacific.
We found the statues from the Middle East were great, with Ishtar, Sekhmet and Isis all represented. Greek and Roman culture was covered by Amphorae decorated with Persephone and statues of Hecate, Athena and Demeter. Medusa was also present in a small carving.
The statues from India and Mexico were ones we had not seen before, along with the masks from the far east and South America.
If you are in Canberra before August 2023 this is a great exhibition. We were very pleased that we went along.
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Yawkyawk – Northern Territory AustraliaKubaba Turkey 1000-800 BCESekhmet from Egypt 1391-1353 BCEIsis and Osiris Egypt 590-530 BCE / Isis and Horus 400-300 BCEIshtar Iraq 1750 BCEDemeter – Athens Greece 100-200 CEHekate Rome 161-200 CESekhmet from Egypt 1391-1353 BCEAphrodite 200 BCEMinerva Rome Italy 1-160 CE (after a Greek Original of Athena 400 BCE)Persephone’s Return – Athens Greece 510-500 BCEParvati India 900-1000 CEVishnu-Varaha with Bhudevi – Odisha India 1200-1300 BCEKali India 2021Taraka dance mask from the Indian workshop of Sri KajalRangda mask, Bali, Indonesia, about 1950 BCChihuateto Mexica 1400-1521 CEBodhisattva Guanyin China after 1260 CEChina Supay Bolivia before 1985 CEMoai papa – Rapa NuiThe Virgin of Guadalupe 1980-89 CE
