Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology

The Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology has 80,000 objects but only has space to display a small number of its collection. It's housed on the first floor in University College London in two small rooms. Torches are provided so the lighting can stay low to protect the objects. The cabinets are rammed full and there are drawers you can open to see more.

Check out the Free Family Day Out in Central London which includes a visit to the Petrie Museum.

University College London
Malet Place
London
WC1E 6BT
Location map

020 7679 2884

020 7679 2886

petrie.museum@ucl.ac.uk

Official Website

www.petrie.ucl.ac.uk

Free.

Tuesday to Friday: 1pm - 5pm
Saturday: 10am - 1pm

Every Wednesday at 3pm.
Every Saturday at 11am there's an introductory tour or themed talk.

The Petrie Museum was set up in 1982 as a university museum by Amelia Edwards. The collection grew with the findings of Sir Wiliam Matthew Finders Petrie (1853-1942), known as the "father of modern Egyptology" as he excavated dozens of major sites. Much of Henry Wellcome's collection came to the museum in the 1960s. The museum is now designated by the UK government as 'of outstanding importance'. The 80,000 objects can be searched on the museum's website.

Highlights include:

• some of the earliest metal and linen from Egypt
• the first known monumental sculpture
• a fragment of the first calendar
• the oldest gynaecological papyrus (!)

Even though it's small (only two rooms) the Petrie Museum welcomes children and has activities available such as 'dress up like an ancient Egyptian' or make a copy of your favorite object in Play Doh. The cabinets have objects low down so it's good for young children.

The Petrie Museum is next to the Grant Museum of Zoology and ten minutes walk from the British Museum.

The Petrie Museum is planning to move to a new purpose-built building nearby in 2011 so all the objects can be on display for the first time.