Dr Ken Griffin curator of the The Egypt Centre at Swansea University with one of the centre's 7,000+ priceless historic items. (Image: Swansea University Egypt Centre )
The public has one month left to view thousands of rare artefacts from Egypt for free in Wales before the venue housing the collection undergoes a five month facelift.
Thousands of priceless items from ancient Egypt and before are on view to the public at Swansea's museum of Egyptian antiquities based at Swansea University's Singleton campus. The Egypt Centre, is a hidden mine of objects telling the tales of life and death in the time of the pharaohs and before.
A flint tool, thought to be up to one million years old, is the oldest item in the collection which also includes brightly decorated coffins, masks and mummies from pyramids at Luxor and Islamic art from the early 20th century. For the latest Swansea news, sign up to our newsletter here
Dr Ken Griffin curator of the The Egypt Centre at Swansea University with one of the centre's 7,000+ priceless historic items.
Among treasures also on display is a beautifully painted 3,000 year old coffin of a priestess, masks covered in gold leaf and a mummified cat, crocodile and snake.
There is also gold and bronze jewellery and a rare collar, which some Egyptologists think was found on the bodies of Tutankhamun's sisters.
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The collection in the university's Taliesin building had been on display since 1998, but many people are not aware it is open to the public and that admission is free.
The Egypt Centre is the largest collection of Egyptian antiquities in Wales and is open to visit from Tuesday to Saturday from 10am to 4pm.
It has just been awarded a �100,000 upgrade grant by the Woolfson Foundation. The money will be added to �300,000 from the Welsh Government to improve the visitor experience, including creating smell and soundscapes to give visitors an immersive idea of life at the time.
Dr Ken Griffin curator of the The Egypt Centre at Swansea University with an ancient Egyptian coffin from the pyramids at Luxor (Image: Swansea University Egypt Centre )
There are around 7,000 artefacts in the collection, 2,000 of which are on display to visitors in two galleries, the House of Death and the House of Life. More of the pieces in storage will also come out once the facelift is complete in January 2026.
Visitors to the centre before the work starts in September can get involved in hands on activities, learn about mummification and explore displays of ancient Egyptian weapons, jewellery coffins and other items.
The Woolfson Foundation grant money will be used to upgrade these displays and interpretation and The House of Death gallery will also be entirely upgraded as part of the work which starts in September
Improvements also include
- Creating more spaces for interactive experiences, including smellscapes and soundscapes;
- Installation of automatic doors to the galleries to make them more accessible for wheelchairs;
- New improved cases to display more objects and under better conditions and lighting; and,
- New interpretation panels and labels to reflect current research.
Ancient Egyptian figurines at Swansea University Egypt Centre
The Egypt Centre's curator Dr Ken Griffin said items currently in storage will also come out once the work is complete. Items not seen before, which will go on display for the first time, include an ornate and colourful coffin dating to 700BC returned to Swansea after 25 years of conservation work at Cardiff University.
"A lot of people don't necessarily realise they can come to the centre and that we are free and open to the public," Dr Griffin said.
"We are extremely grateful to the Wolfson Foundation for this grant, which will make a meaningful contribution towards the redevelopment. The project will ensure our continuation as a relevant cultural and educational hub both here in Wales and across the UK.
Dr Griffin said one of his favourite objects on display is a limestone carving from the temple of the princess Neferure from the temple of Hatshepsut dating to 1,400BC.
But with more than 7,000 items to research and care for Dr Griffin said he and his staff "make new discoveries every day."
The Egypt Centre is open now and throughout August but shuts from September 1 for the refurbishment and will re-open in January 2026.
- The Egypt Centre is based in the Taliesin building at Swansea University's Singleton Park campus. Admission is free and it is open from 10am to 4pm from Tuesday to Saturday.
