CAMBRIDGE, MASS.- Pharaohs, pyramids, sphinxes, and hieroglyphs—ancient Egypt has captivated the world for millennia. In Egypt Eternal: 4,000 Years of Fascination the Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East explores our enduring interest. In a bright and refreshed gallery with an elegant arched window revealed for the first time in decades, the new exhibition showcases returning favorites such as the mummy case of Padimut (now able to be viewed in 360°), an elaborate teak and ivory reproduction of King Tutankhamun’s throne, the portrait of Idu in his underground tomb chapel, and the award-winning Dreaming the Sphinx augmented-reality experience for the Dream Stela of King Thutmose IV.

Many of the objects in the exhibition have been scanned and formed into digital 3D models that are easily shared with the public. The models enable three coffins to be opened virtually from within the gallery—or anywhere. Other pieces from the museum’s collections are on display for the first time.

Discover how Harvard supported early archaeological excavations and how today’s Harvard studies advance our understanding of the ancient world. We all know something about ancient Egypt; the real stories are even more fascinating!

This ongoing exhibition opens to the public at the Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East on Sunday, September 21, 2025 at 11:00 am. The museum is open Sundays–Fridays 11:00 am–4:00 pm (closed Saturdays) and admission is free.

The new exhibition is part of the Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East’s commitment to enhance ancient artifacts using modern technologies to support research, teaching, and preservation of the many cultures of the ancient Near East. Recent updates include the Mediterranean Marketplaces: Connecting the Ancient World exhibition with its life-size Iron Age II house replica from ancient Israel and cutaway view of an ancient ship, and the new augmented reality experience Art of Intimidation that animates ancient Assyrian casts within the From Stone to Silicone exhibition.

Founded in 1889, the Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East houses more than 40,000 Near Eastern artifacts, mostly from museum-sponsored excavations in Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Syria, and Tunisia. In 2020, the museum changed its name to be more inclusive and accurately reflect the diversity of the collection. The collections are used to investigate and teach Near Eastern archaeology, history, and culture. The galleries span three floors, and the building is located at 6 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, on the Harvard campus, an eight-minute walk from the Harvard Square Red Line MBTA station.