Insights into Ancient Egypt
Insights into Ancient Egypt: The Power Trip
Two-hour Touch Tour
Learn first hand, about life, death and the afterlife in ancient Egypt by interacting with sculpture and carvings created up to 5000 years ago. During this two-hour program, dubbed 'The Power Trip,' visitors will visit the Museum's Lower Egypt Gallery to learn about the all-powerful gods and goddesses, the role of the pharaohs and the ancient Egyptian desire for eternal life. Touch and explore the Museum's monumental granite sphinx, a lion with a human head, believed to be the largest in the western hemisphere and learn to recognize hieroglyphs that proclaim the power of the king and his associations with the divine.
Insights into Ancient Egypt: Life, Death and the Afterlife
Two hour Classroom Session and Touch Tour
This two-hour program includes a 45-minute classroom session handing authentic and replica objects used in the ritual and practice of mummification. This is followed by a one-hour touch tour in the Upper Egypt Gallery exploring the massive statue of Ramesses the Great, the third pharaoh of the Nineteenth Dynasty of Egypt. Visitors then touch and take the pose of Sekhmet, a tall seated statue of the feline headed goddess. Complete the tour by touching and learning about two mummiform sarcophagi that once entombed the bodies of important ancient Egyptian dignitaries.
Reviews
Thank you so much for taking me on your wonderful touch tour at the Penn Museum last Thursday! It was extraordinary to have direct experience of objects I have only known about through reading and the descriptions of others! I really had no idea what hieroglyphics look like until I explored the cartouches on the sphinx and the sarcophagus lid, and it was thrilling to recognize symbols used repeatedly. In spite of my reading about ancient Egypt, I had no real concept of the size and mass of Egyptian carvings until my hands-on contact a week ago. There is absolutely no substitute for direct experience! Thank you so much for opening up this possibility for me and for so many other blind people of all ages!
By Debbie Stein, Visitor from Chicago
Insights into Ancient Egypt: In Touch with Mummies
One-hour Classroom Session
This classroom session is provided on site at the Museum or by special arrangement at your school or institution.
On Site at the Museum
Learn firsthand about the beliefs, rituals and practice of mummification in this fun and informative multi-sensory program in the Museum classroom. Touch, smell and interact with authentic and replica objects including a brain hook, ancient linen, canopic jars and a full size replica mummy!
At your School or Institution
Philly Touch Tours presenters travel to schools or institution with the 'In Touch With Mummies' Loan Box and the full size mummy replica.
Additional Information
Group size
Maximum of 10 visitors plus assistants/guides
Dates and times
Afternoons at 2:00pm. Other days and times, including weekends may be available.
Contact Us to make arrangements.
Location
Penn Museum (Kress Entrance). 3260 South Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104
Directions to the Kress Entrance
If traveling by car take the first driveway on the left after crossing Convention Avenue. Arrival must be announced at the Kress Entrance barrier. For those traveling on foot there is a sidewalk on the west side of the driveway, next to the museum. Accessible parking is available upon request.
http://www.penn.museum/directions-and-parking.html
Information Packs
Regular, large print and Braille information packs are available upon request.