Staatliches Museum Ägyptischer Kunst

Current exhibitions

About the museum

Munich's Egyptian collection dates back to the House of Wittelsbach: Duke Albrecht V acquired the first Egyptian objects for his Kunstkammer (cabinet of art) as early as the 16th century. It was decisively shaped by King Ludwig I, who began buying high-quality sculptures in 1816 and set up a dedicated Egyptian hall in the Glyptothek. At the same time, the Bavarian Academy of Sciences collected inscribed coffins and stelae to advance the decipherment of hieroglyphs.

After the end of the monarchy, the holdings passed to the Free State of Bavaria. From 1934, an independent Egyptian collection was shown for the first time in the Residenz; its rooms were largely destroyed in World War II, while the objects, which had been moved to safety, survived. After a first postwar presentation in 1966, all holdings, including those of the Glyptothek, were united in the Residenz in 1970. Under Dietrich Wildung and Sylvia Schoske, the collection grew through purchases, excavation finds, and numerous exhibitions; in 2000, it received its current name.

In June 2013, the museum moved into a new building by Peter Böhm in the Kunstareal, which it shares with the Hochschule für Fernsehen und Film (University of Television and Film). The exhibition rooms lie entirely underground and receive daylight through a sunken courtyard. The permanent exhibition is organized not chronologically but by theme and is accompanied by a MedienGuide (media guide). Since 2013, the museum has also directed excavations at Naga in Sudan.

Highlights

• Gold mask of Satdjehuti
• Gold treasure of the Meroitic queen Amanishakheto
• One of the oldest known glass vessels
• Life-size statue of a falcon-headed god, Ludwig I's first acquisition (1816)
• Underground museum architecture by Peter Böhm with the artwork "Der umgestürzte Obelisk" (The Toppled Obelisk)
• Tactile room "Ägypten (er)fassen"

Permanent exhibitions

• Dauerausstellung – 14 rooms arranged by theme with art from five millennia, from early ceramics and royal statues to Nubia and the ancient Near East.

Founded

1966

Operated by

Freistaat Bayern

Director

Arnulf Schlüter

Admission & discounts

Regular and reduced admission include the MedienGuide. Sundays €1. Different prices may apply for special exhibitions and events (e.g., the Lange Nacht der Museen). Tickets at the ticket desk or in the online shop.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description

Certified under "Reisen für Alle" (2023) and part of the "Bayern barrierefrei" initiative. Accessible parking space at Arcisstraße 16, with an elevator from there to the foyer; a second elevator leads to the permanent exhibition. Braille strips in every room, tactile room "Ägypten (er)fassen" with its own audio tour, audio tour "Mit anderem Blick" for blind and visually impaired visitors. Free tours for groups of people with disabilities by arrangement, including with tactile objects; MedienGuide tour "All included" with sign language or subtitles. According to the museum's visitor information, dogs are not allowed (rules for assistance dogs not stated).

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Stroller-friendly
• Kids’ birthday parties

Family tours on the 2nd and 4th Sunday of the month at 11:00 and 12:30 (ages 5 and up, registration required), plus the children's program "Isi und die Geheimnisse des Alten Ägypten" on selected Saturdays. Archaeology backpack available to borrow free of charge, media guide children's tour and digital scavenger hunt (€1 each), augmented reality adventure "Die Nachtfahrt der Sonne" (The Sun's Night Journey). Children's birthday parties for ages 6 and up for up to 12 children (approx. 2 or 2.5 hrs). Accessible entrance with elevator, also suitable for strollers.

Getting there & parking

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Restaurant: not available
• Museum shop

ShopCafé with coffee, cake, books, and gifts.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Private parties
• Corporate events

Up to 400 guests.

Foyer I (200 m²), Foyer II (140 m²), auditorium (160 m², seating for up to approx. 180 people), and special exhibition hall (400 m², seating for up to approx. 400 people) for celebrations, presentations, receptions, and film shoots; exclusive guided tours possible. Catering only from a kitchen tent in the sunken courtyard; no parking. Booked through Kulturmarketing München.

Plan your visit