More than 320,000 people have already seen ‘China and Egypt: Cradles of the World’ on show for just one last weekend, until 3 December

30.11.2017
Neues Museum

More than 320,000 people have already visited the special exhibition ‘China and Egypt: Cradles of the World’. The show is a collaboration between the Staatliche Museen (specifically its Egyptian collections: the Egyptian Museum and Papyrus Collection) and the Shanghai Museum and is only on view on the Museum Island for just a few more days until 3 December 2017.

In a statement, Friederike Seyfried, director of the Egyptian Museum and Papyrus Collection, said: ‘We are delighted with the unbroken popularity of and enthusiastic reactions to this extraordinary exhibition project. Especially gratifying is the strong interest and feedback from our international visitors – it underlines the success of this unusual juxtaposition of two ancient cultures.’

Exhibition ‘China and Egypt: Cradles of the World’

‘China and Egypt: Cradles of the World’ presents for the first time ancient Egyptian and ancient Chinese artefacts side by side. Thanks to an array of important loans from the Shanghai Museum, enriched by objects from the Staatliche Museen’s own Ethnologisches Museum and Museum für Asiatische Kunst, numerous objects from the ‘Middle Kingdom’ (China) are now on show in Berlin for the first time. The exhibition features about 250 unique objects, including significant treasures from both civilizations, and covers a timespan that reaches from 4500 BC into the Greco-Roman period that lasted from 332 BC to 312 AD. The exhibition traces the cultural developments that laid the foundations for great civilizations in these two regions. Although there was no direct contact between ancient China and ancient Egypt, comparison of the two cultures reveals a surprising number of similarities despite their differences.

Offerings for adults and children

There are many ways for our diverse visitors to access the exhibition content, including replicas to touch and hold, an audio-guide in plain language and an extensive education programme for visitors with impairments. These offerings provide multi-sensory access to the objects and exhibition content. On the last weekend, workshops and tours are on offer that allow participants – adults and children – to immerse themselves in the exhibition content.

Sponsors, support and partners

‘China and Egypt: Cradles of the World’ is generously sponsored by the Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe, the main sponsor of the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin. The exhibition is supported by the Verein zur Förderung des Egyptischen Museum Berlin e. V. and Museum&Location. The media partners for the show are: Inforadio (rbb), kulturradio (rbb), National Geographic, Der Tagesspiegel, tip Berlin and ZITTY.