Gold, Gods and a Pricey Pharaoh: Ramses exhibition will worry your wallet

"From the moment you step inside, the tone is clear: this is not an academic museum exhibition, but more of a bling-filled showroom of goodies to gawp at. If you went to the Tutankhamun exhibition in 2019, then you'll know what to expect, as the Ramses exhibition has been organised by the same people."

"Ramesses II, better known as Ramses the Great, ruled more than 3,200 years ago and is widely hailed as the mightiest pharaoh of Egypt's most powerful era, the New Kingdom. His 66-year reign - the longest of any pharaoh - cemented his reputation as a supreme builder, warrior, statesman and, with around 90-100 children, a man who took legacy-building sometimes too literally."

"However, the core of the exhibition is the original wooden coffin that once held Ramses himself - a plain wooden affair, shorn of the layers of gold casing that once surrounded it, but still decorated and impressive - far more than I had expected in fact."

"As an exhibition, it's not one to come to to learn more about the pharaoh, as the signage is minimal. Also, be aware that many of the objects on display are related to the era the man lived in, but not to the man himself. However, its theatrical layout will appeal to a lot of people who are sometimes put off by dry museum displays."

The Ramses the Great exhibition presents artifacts from ancient Egypt's most powerful era in a theatrical, visually striking format rather than as an academic museum display. Organized by the same team behind the 2019 Tutankhamun exhibition, it features low lighting that creates dramatic effects on colossal statues and gold-filled display cases. The centerpiece is Ramses II's original wooden coffin, stripped of its gold casing but still impressive. The exhibition includes carved stone heads, coffins, mummified cats, and concludes with a massive stone torso. While the theatrical layout appeals to visitors who find traditional museum displays dry, the minimal signage means visitors learn little about the pharaoh himself, and many displayed objects relate to the era rather than Ramses specifically.

Read at ianVisits