Egyptian Museum Turin

The oldest Egyptian museum in the world

The Egyptian Museum on Via Accademia delle Scienze 6 is a revelation that catches many first-time visitors off guard. It's the oldest museum in the world dedicated exclusively to ancient Egyptian culture, founded in 1824 by King Carlo Felice, and after the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, it's considered the most important of its kind. Its roots trace back to the House of Savoy's passion for collecting and to the finds of Italian Egyptologists.

What to expect

The collection comprises around 40,000 objects, of which about 3,300 are on display in the exhibition halls, with a further 12,000 or so held in the galleries devoted to everyday material culture. It paints a remarkably vivid picture of ancient Egypt, from monumental statues of pharaohs and gods to papyri, mummies, sarcophagi and objects of daily life.

Highlights include:

• the monumental Statuary Gallery, where larger-than-life figures stand dramatically lit against the half-darkness
• the Tomb of Kha and Merit, with its fully preserved burial goods, currently given extra prominence to mark the 120th anniversary of its discovery
• the rock temple of Ellesyia, a gift from the Egyptian government, dismantled into 66 blocks and reassembled in Turin in 1970

Tickets, prices and opening hours

Admission is guaranteed only with a timed online ticket, booked through the official ticket shop linked from the museum's website. The full price is 18 EUR, with over-70s paying 15 EUR; students and 15-18-year-olds pay 3 EUR, the junior ticket for 6-14-year-olds costs 1 EUR, and children under 5 go free. The audio guide is a free web app that runs on the museum's own Wi-Fi, bring your own headphones or buy a pair at the till.

Opening hours are Monday 9:00 to 14:00, Tuesday to Friday and Sunday 9:00 to 18:30, and Saturday 9:00 to 20:00; last admission is one hour before closing. Some public holidays have extended hours. If you're planning to visit several museums, check whether the Torino+Piemonte Card is worth it.

When to go

The museum is popular, expect crowds at weekends and in peak season. Experience suggests it's quietest right at opening, at 9:00, or in the late afternoon. Allow a generous two and a half to three and a half hours; the free audio guide app helps you find your way through the sheer scale of the collection. There's no separate skip-the-line option - your booked time slot is what secures entry.

Practical tips for your visit

The museum sits in the heart of the Centro Storico, just a few steps from Piazza Castello and the Royal Palace. It's easy to combine your visit with the nearby Mole Antonelliana and its Cinema Museum. For more museums, see our museums overview.