Egyptian Museum, Turin: Visit

Where: Turin
Best for: A major Egyptian collection shaped by Drovetti’s 1824 collection
Allow: 2 hours

Turin’s Museo Egizio began in 1824, when King Carlo Felice acquired Bernardino Drovetti’s collection; it opened to the public in 1832 in the former Collegio dei Nobili. The tomb of Kha and Merit, TT8, remains at Deir el-Medina in Egypt; Gallery 7 displays the objects recovered from it. Ernesto Schiaparelli discovered the tomb intact in 1906. Gallery 7 presents the New Kingdom burial assemblage through 460 objects, from coffins and furniture to textiles, perfume vessels and the board game senet. Kha held the title ‘director of works,’ with responsibility for designing and building royal tombs.

In the Gallery of the Kings, monumental statues of gods and rulers recovered at Karnak stand in an installation that evokes temple space. The Turin King List preserves a damaged sequence of royal names and reign lengths; the painted linen from Gebelein shows boats, figures interpreted as dancing or mourning, and a hippopotamus hunt. The Temple of Ellesiya tells another story: this Nubian rock-cut chapel was donated by Egypt to Italy after the rescue campaign for monuments threatened by the Aswan Dam, cut into 66 blocks, brought to Turin and inaugurated in 1970. Continue exploring the city with our Turin city guide.

Sandstone wall with irregular block joints, small upper square holes and a narrow rectangular doorway opening into a darker stone space. — A closer architectural study of Ellesiya’s sandstone wall and central doorway, reconstructed at the Museo Egizio.

Look closer

Left-facing lioness head, striated wig, torso and bent arm resting on the lap of a dark speckled stone statue. — The profile of SekhmetThe lioness-headed goddess Sekhmet, Cat. 249, in a close view of the seated granodiorite statue.

The head end of Merit’s coffinA detail of Merit’s inner coffin brings its worn gilded lid and dark, gold-decorated trough into view.

Shallow gray-brown clay bowl with an uneven chipped rim, visible interior cracks and muted ochre patches. — A shallow clay bowlA close view of the worn clay surface and irregular rim of the museum’s Predynastic bowl, Suppl. 4076.

Three works worth finding

If you see nothing else, see these.

Kha and Merit’s burial assemblage
Their tomb was found intact in 1906 at Deir el-Medina. Gallery 7 displays 460 objects from the funerary assemblage, including coffins, furniture, textiles and everyday items.Gallery 7
Gallery of the Kings
Monumental statues of rulers and gods recovered at Karnak are arranged in a display that evokes their temple setting.Gallery of the Kings
Temple of Ellesiya
Egypt donated the chapel to Italy after the Nubian-monuments rescue campaign. Cut into 66 blocks, it was brought to Turin and reconstructed in the museum.Ellesiya temple area

Plan your visit

Booking: Check booking requirements
Time needed: 2 hours
Best time: To keep the visit manageable, select a few priority rooms before arrival. The museum recommends advance planning for visitors with complex sensory, cognitive or orientation needs and, where possible, avoiding weekends.
Getting there: The museum is at Via Accademia delle Scienze 6 in central Turin. From Porta Nuova, the museum suggests walking along Via Lagrange, which continues as Via Accademia delle Scienze; the walk takes about 10–15 minutes.
Accessibility: The museum reports that its galleries have no architectural barriers and all floors are reachable by lift; staff assistance may be needed in some areas. Two wheelchairs are available free from the ticket office on the day of the visit but cannot be reserved. For blind and low-vision visitors, the museum offers tactile panels, a tactile experience with 20 collection objects, and audio descriptions in Italian and English. Contact the museum about a specific access need or to arrange a dedicated visit.

The full-price ticket is €18. Reduced, family and free-entry categories are available under the museum’s conditions. Tickets must be bought online for a selected entry time; they are not sold at the museum. The museum says late arrival may prevent entry and visitors cannot enter before their selected time. Check the museum’s fare page for current eligibility and terms.

The museum gives about two hours as an indicative average for a visit; the time depends on what you choose to explore. In Gallery 7, look beyond the coffins: textiles, perfume vessels and the senet board game bring the burial assemblage into everyday life.

Official website

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Before you book

Do I need to book a ticket before arriving?

Tickets must be bought online for a selected entry time; they are not sold at the museum. The museum says late arrival may prevent entry and visitors cannot enter before their selected time.

How much is a full-price ticket?

The museum currently lists full-price admission at €18. Reduced, family and free-entry categories have separate eligibility rules on the official fare page.

Is the tomb of Kha and Merit inside the museum?

No. Their tomb, TT8, is at Deir el-Medina in Egypt. Most of its grave goods were transferred to Turin after the tomb was found intact in 1906; they are displayed in Gallery 7.

What is the Temple of Ellesiya?

It is a Nubian rock-cut chapel donated by Egypt to Italy after the rescue campaign for monuments threatened by the Aswan Dam. The temple was reconstructed from 66 blocks and inaugurated in Turin in 1970.

What access provisions are available for wheelchair users and blind or low-vision visitors?

The museum reports lifts to all floors and two free wheelchairs available at the ticket office on the day of the visit, without advance reservation. For blind and low-vision visitors, it offers tactile panels, a tactile collection experience and audio descriptions in Italian and English; contact the museum to arrange a dedicated visit.

How much time should I allow for the museum?

The museum gives about two hours as an indicative average, though your visit may take more or less depending on what you choose to explore. Its four-hour option is a separately booked paid guided tour, not the standard self-guided visit.