LEIDEN.- Galleria is a unique museum experience that brings together twelve small exhibitions under one roof. From fragments of an Egyptian temple and Moroccan jewellery to contemporary art and personal stories. Each exhibition has its own atmosphere, perspective, story and connection with antiquity. They combine to form an unexpectedly beautiful journey, where past and present meet.

From the labyrinth of Amenemhat III to rare books

Visitors wander amongst a rich collection of objects and stories. These include fragments of an Egyptian temple from the labyrinth of Amenemhat III, replicas of priests’ robes from medieval Nubia, exquisite Moroccan fibulas, and statues with elegant classical hairstyles. Visitors will also discover the drawings of Bob Brobbel (the great visualiser of Dutch archaeology), rare books from the museum library, a special collection of clocks, and two contemporary art projects: Odysseus and the Drowned and the Saved by Elisa Pesapane and Fragments of the Primal Tapestry by Lux Buurman.

A gallery of stories

Whilst each individual exhibition has its own angle and atmosphere, together they make up a captivating gallery of stories. Galleria connects past and present, science and art, material heritage and personal memories. Not only will visitors see dazzling, centuries-old artefacts, but they will also find out how ancient symbols and ideas continue to inspire. In the Ankh exhibition, for example, the Egyptian hieroglyph for ‘life’ turns out to be surprisingly relevant today.

Twelve small exhibitions in one large hall

• Memories of Palmyra | The personal memories of Syrian archaeologists and work by artist Gertie Bierenbroodspot.

• Treasure-trove of knowledge | A selection from the museum library’s (antiquarian) book collection.





• Dress to impress | Replicas of the robes of 9th-century Nubian dignitaries.

• Landscapes of the past | The work of Bob Brobbel, the first great illustrator of Dutch archaeology.

• The labyrinth | The Egyptian temple complex of Pharaoh Amenemhat III, from small fragments to imaginative reconstructions.

• Fragments of the Primal Tapestry | A ‘memory archive’ in eighteen paintings by artist Lux Buurman.

• Fibulas full of stories | Linking the imagery and symbolism of Roman fibulas and contemporary clothing pins from Morocco.

• Ankh | The ancient Egyptian ankh symbol as a powerful contemporary means of expression in work by Marwan Magroun, Photographer of the Netherlands.

• Hair salon RMO | What do Roman ladies’ intricate updos tell us about wealth, status and origin?

• Learning from the past | Greek pottery from the Leiden University collection in a story about changing educational approaches.

• Time is ticking | Twenty clocks from the 19th and 20th centuries with Egyptian-inspired motifs, from artworks to kitsch.

• Odysseus and the Drowned and the Saved | Artist Elisa Pesapane weaves together contemporary drawing, Etruscan heritage and literature in a large-scale composition.