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The exhibition includes Nes-Hor, an Egyptian priest mummy. (photo courtesy of the California Science Center)
“Mummies of the World: The Exhibition” brings together more than 30 naturally and intentionally preserved human and animal mummies from South America, Europe and ancient Egypt. Since its world premiere at the California Science Center in 2010, the exhibition has fascinated millions throughout Europe and the United States. It returns to Los Angeles for its closing venue, offering a last chance to view the extraordinary exhibition, which includes a new selection of specimens never-before-seen in Los Angeles.
Guests will explore the science of natural mummification in varied environments from glaciers and deserts to underground European crypts, and will learn about the methods used to intentionally preserve animals and people in cultures ranging from ancient Egypt and Peru to modern day medical studies. Opening on Saturday, Feb. 7, the exhibition includes CT scans of full-body mummies, burial objects, mummification tools and interactive audio-visual programs on the stories revealed by scientific analysis. Through the lens of science, guests can appreciate how mummification preserves irreplaceable physical and biological evidence and discover how the scientific study of mummies provides a window into the lives of ancient peoples, past civilizations and the ever-changing world.
Among the highlights are select specimens never-before-seen in Los Angeles and rarely toured, including 18th-century medical mummies; two mummified ancient Egyptian priests; a shrunken sloth head; two ancient Peruvian bundle mummies, making their West Coast debut and on tour for the first time in over 60 years; and MUMAB (Mummy of the University of Maryland at Baltimore), the first ancient Egyptian-style mummification performed in 2,800 years to examine through replication the famous but poorly understood procedure. Other highlights include 18th century Hungarian mummies discovered in a long-forgotten church crypt, and a mummified 17th-century German nobleman, buried in his military boots.
“Bringing ‘Mummies of the World: The Exhibition’ back to Los Angeles is a privilege,” California Science Center President and CEO Jeffrey Rudolph said. “Since its world premiere at the California Science Center in 2010, the exhibition has fascinated people around the world, and we are thrilled to give our guests one last opportunity to explore these extraordinary specimens using modern science. We look forward to welcoming people of all ages to engage with history, culture, science and discovery through the exploration of mummification.”
“Mummies of the World: The Exhibition” will be on view in the Weingart Foundation Special Exhibits Gallery on the third floor of the California Science Center. Timed entry tickets are required.
For information, visit californiasciencecenter.org/exhibits/mummies-of-the-world-the-exhibition. The California Science Center is located at 700 Exposition Park Drive.
