Turin's Egyptian museum has been
taken as the 'model' for an EU project to revamp the Egyptian
Museum in Cairo.
Alongside other prestigious European museums such as the
Louvre and the British Museum, it will help to breathe new life
into a site which with its 136,000 objects on display hosts the
most complete collection in the world of archaeological finds of
Ancient Egypt.
The project is of "high scientific and cultural value", the
director of Turin's Egyptian Museum, Christian Greco, said,
which "for the first time is bringing together the 'know-how' of
the various collections".
Just off a recent revamp itself, inaugurated in 2015 after
five years of work and 50 million euros in investment, the Turin
museum will be the reference point.
With 3.1 million euros in EU funds, the project is expected
to last 3 years.
"We will develop a master plan," Greco said, "aiming for a
rethink of the site in its entirely. This is the big challenge
before us."
The first phase of the project will focus on a revamp of the
entrance galleries and the halls for the Royal Tombs of Tanis,
but the aim, Greco said, is to "reinterpret the role of the
Egyptian Museum in Cairo itself, first and foremost inside of
society and its educational role for young Egyptians, as well as
in order to reconnect the magnificent monuments hosted inside of
it with the rest of the country".
Turin's Egyptian Museum was in 2017 the most popular museum
in Italy, according to TripAdvisor, with financial gain for the
country equaling some 187 million euros per year.
This project, museum director Evelina Christillin said, will
take the museum back into the heart of Egypt "to collaborate at
the scientific and professional level with the country that
enabled us to be what we are and to which we owe everything".
"In the sixteenth century," she continued, "the court
historian attributed Egyptian descent to the Savoys to enhance
their reputation in the eyes of all of Europe. We are proud to
return, with Turin and our museum, into the heart of Egypt."
Also taking part will be the Louvre, the British Museum
Berlin's Agyptisches Museum und Papyrussammlung.
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