Egypt Centre
Free university museum of ancient Egypt on Swansea University's Singleton Campus, with two galleries on everyday life and on death and burial.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Egypt Centre grew out of a transfer in 1971, when part of the large Wellcome Collection of antiquities went to University College Swansea, now Swansea University. On 1 September 1971 ninety-two crates of objects were collected, and Kate Bosse-Griffiths became the honorary curator of the new university collection.
The museum opened to the public on 28 September 1998 and is housed in the Taliesin building on the university's Singleton Campus. It is run as a university museum with the help of a large team of volunteers, and in 2018 it received the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service. It holds Accredited Museum status and has also been rated a Quality Assured Attraction by Visit Wales.
About 2,000 objects are on display, among them coffins, statues, stelae, textiles, cosmetic containers, pottery and mummified animals. Human remains are not shown, for ethical reasons. The displays are arranged in two galleries: the House of Life, which looks at daily life and craftsmanship, and the House of Death, which deals with beliefs about the afterlife and burial customs. The museum describes itself as holding the largest collection of Egyptian artefacts in Wales and is known for its hands-on approach, with play spaces, object handling and costumed activities.
Highlights
- House of Death gallery with coffins and a dummy mummy used for demonstrations
- House of Life gallery on everyday life, furniture and tools
- About 2,000 objects on display, including mummified animals
- Play area with a Playmobil pyramid and dressing-up costumes
- Free admission
Permanent exhibitions
- House of Life – Gallery on the everyday life and craftsmanship of the ancient Egyptians, with objects such as furniture and tools.
- House of Death – Gallery on beliefs about the afterlife and burial customs, with coffins, a dummy mummy and related objects.
- Founded
- 1998
- Operated by
- Swansea University
Admission & discounts
Admission is free.
Admission is free and no advance booking is needed. Donations are welcome.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator
- Accessible restroom
- Accessible parking
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The museum is described as fully wheelchair accessible, with ramps and a lift to all floors of the Taliesin building; the gallery doors are being converted to power-assisted doors. There is an accessible toilet on the ground floor, and the nearest Changing Places toilet is in the Brangwyn Hall on campus. A few Blue Badge spaces behind the building can be used from 10:00 to 16:00 and cannot be booked. Braille copies of some materials are available at reception. The museum holds an Autism Friendly Award and lends Quiet Visit lanyards and ear defenders, and it takes part in the Sunflower Lanyard Scheme. Service, assistant and emotional support animals are welcome.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
- Family tours & workshops
- Hands-on stations
- Baby changing facilities
- Playground / play area
- Kids’ birthday parties
A first-floor play area next to the House of Life has a Playmobil pyramid and costumes, and play activities are spread through both galleries. Public activities such as mummification, senet and object handling take place at times. Birthday parties for ages 6 to 12 cost 10 pounds per child, take up to 10 children and are held on Saturdays only. Baby changing tables are in the ground-floor accessible toilet and the first-floor ambulant toilet, and breastfeeding is welcome throughout.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Singleton Campus (bus)
Buses 2A, 3A, 4, 4A and 91 run from Swansea city centre to Singleton Campus, about 20 minutes. Swansea railway station is about 2.5 miles away, reached by bus or taxi from outside the station or on a walk of around 50 minutes along the seafront.
By car
Paid parking
There is no parking on campus on weekdays. The nearest car park is the pay and display car park at Pub on the Pond (postcode SA2 8PR), a short walk away and run by Swansea Council. On Saturdays visitors can register their car with the museum on arrival for free parking on campus, except when attending paid events. A few Blue Badge spaces are behind the Taliesin building.
- Accessible parking
From the M4 leave at junction 42 and follow the A483 and then the A4067 west; the university entrance is controlled by traffic lights just before a footbridge. Cycle racks stand beside the building.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Café: not available
- Restaurant: not available
- Museum shop
- Coat check: not available
- Lockers: not available
- Wi-Fi
There is no café, but several eateries (Greggs, Starbucks, Tortilla) and a convenience store are on campus, and there are seats in the building for packed lunches. The gift shop on the ground floor sells books, replicas, jewellery and children's gifts. Coats and umbrellas can be left on a small rack at the owner's risk. Visitors can use the Swansea University Visitor Wi-Fi network.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Photography | Photos for personal use are welcome without flash; commercial photography or filming needs prior permission, and staff, volunteers and children may not be photographed without consent. |
| Good to know | Volunteers sometimes lead guided tours of the galleries, and groups can book an organised tour by email. School visits, virtual classrooms, loan boxes and outreach sessions are offered. A case in the House of Life gallery is used for a temporary display that changes about every six months. |
