Living and dying in Egypt. From Alexander the Great to Cleopatra

The exhibition

From the conquest by Alexander the Great in 332 BC until the Battle of Actium and the suicide of Cleopatra VII in 30 BC, Egypt was ruled by a royal family of Greek origin. For a long time, this period, known as the Ptolemaic period, was seen as simply a period of Greek control of the Egyptian state and people. However, the most recent research has shown that Egyptian and Greek cultures met, intermingled and adapted at all levels of society.

A unique collection

The exhibition at the Musée d’Aquitaine aims to showcase this encounter between Greeks and Egyptians, by displaying ancient works, monuments and papyri that bear material witness to the exchanges, borrowings and appropriations between these two cultures.
More than 30 years after the last exhibition devoted to Ancient Egypt (Le Livre pour sortir le jour, 1992), the Musée d’Aquitaine aims to show the public the extent of its fine Egyptological collection, accompanied by masterpieces from little-known regional, French and international collections.

Practical information

-Opening times: daily (except Tuesdays) – 11am to 6pm

-Admission: €2 – €8 – Free for under-18s

-From 27 June to 3 november 2024, discover the new temporary exhibition at the Musée d’Aquitaine in Bordeaux.