About the Egypt Centre
A brief overview of the museum, and the objects within the collection
History
In 1994 a small Egyptian collection resided in University of Wales, Swansea known and cared for by the Department of Classics and Ancient History and known to academics, but largely unheard of by the general public. That year Sybil Crouch, manager of the Taliesin Arts Centre at the University of Wales Swansea, suggested that the collection might be better used. In 1998, the Egypt Centre was born – a museum of Egyptian antiquities, but also a resource to aid widening participation in Universities.
See the video below for a more in-depth history of the collection:
The Objects
There are over six thousand objects in the collection. The majority of which were collected by the pharmacist Sir Henry Solomon Wellcome (1853–1936). As well as donations from several private individuals, the loans and gifts from institutions such as The British Museum, National Museum of Wales, Cardiff, and Woking College are also present. Most recently, in 2023, the Harrogate Egyptian Collection arrived for research as part of a three year loan in order to allow greater research into these objects.
As well as ancient Egyptian artefacts, the museum is home to a substantial classical collection, including Greek, Roman, and Cypriot objects.
Object-centred Learning and Engagement
The Online Collection
The Online Collection was designed by Sam Powell, a Swansea University student and Egypt Centre volunteer, in close collaboration with Egypt Centre staff. After experiencing frustration using existing online catalogues, Sam wanted to create something easy to use, with consistent searchable data, which could be updated in real-time as research took place.
The Egypt Centre Online Collection was launched in October 2020, earlier than planned as a response to the temporary closure of the museum during the COVID-19 Pandemic.
The Egypt Centre also hosts numerous events; please visit the events page for further details https://www.egypt.swan.ac.uk/events
There are over six thousand objects in the collection. The majority of which were collected by the pharmacist Sir Henry Solomon Wellcome (1853–1936). As well as donations from several private individuals, the loans and gifts from institutions such as The British Museum, National Museum of Wales, Cardiff, and Woking College are also present. Most recently, in 2023, the Harrogate Egyptian Collection arrived for research as part of a three year loan in order to allow greater research into these objects.
As well as ancient Egyptian artefacts, the museum is home to a substantial classical collection, including Greek, Roman, and Cypriot objects.
Object-centred Learning and Engagement
The museum, as well as its impressive objects is a hub of activity, with school groups regularly visiting and engaging in activities, and strong involvement from students and volunteers in almost every aspect of the museum.
The Online Collection was designed by Sam Powell, a Swansea University student and Egypt Centre volunteer, in close collaboration with Egypt Centre staff. After experiencing frustration using existing online catalogues, Sam wanted to create something easy to use, with consistent searchable data, which could be updated in real-time as research took place.
The Egypt Centre Online Collection was launched in October 2020, earlier than planned as a response to the temporary closure of the museum during the COVID-19 Pandemic.
The Egypt Centre also hosts numerous events; please visit the events page for further details https://www.egypt.swan.ac.uk/events