£300k for exotic Egyptian collection's new gallery
Aug 16 2006
By Alan Weston Daily Post Staff
LIVERPOOL'S prestigious Egyptian collection is to get a new look - thanks to a £300,000 grant.
World Museum Liverpool is one of 43 institutions across the country to benefit from grants totalling almost £4m, jointly funded by the Department of Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) and the Wolfson Foundation Museums & Galleries Improvement Fund.
The grant will involve completely refurbishing the museum's Egyptian gallery, which is now 30 years old.
The collection is the museum's largest single group of antiquities. It is made up of about 15,000 items, almost 5,000 of which came from a donation by Liverpool goldsmith and antiquarian Joseph Mayer in 1867.
It was further expanded during the late 19th and early 20th centuries when the museum supported various excavations undertaken in Egypt.
The new look gallery will tell the story of Egypt's modern legacy as pioneers of science, art and architecture.
The rediscovery of Egypt will be portrayed through the stories and artefacts discovered by the later excavations.
The great dynasties will be explored, in addition to the pre-dynastic origins of Egypt, its people and geography. Thanks to inscriptions, tomb paintings and objects from the collections a picture of everyday life will be built, from fishing, farming, irrigation, engineering and warfare to diet, fashion, music and dance.
Audio visual presentations will recreate voices of long ago, bringing to life the personalities and characters of the ancient civilisation. A highlight of the gallery will be a recreation of a tomb exploring themes of life, death and eternity.
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The new-look gallery is due for completion in 2008 as part of the European Capital of Culture celebrations.
Dr Ashley Cooke, head of antiquities at National Museums Liverpool, said: "The Egyptian collection is of great international significance and is known worldwide by Egyptologists.
"I am looking forward to increasing the public awareness of this fabulous collection and developing a gallery that reflects Liverpool's strong connection with the study of ancient Egypt."
Also benefiting from the funding package is Ellesmere Port's Boat Museum, which is to receive £40,000.
This will be used to help towards the conservation and interpretation of the historic boat collection, which is the largest in the world.
Culture Minister David Lammy said: "This year, the DCMS/Wolfson Museums & Galleries Improvement fund is giving out more grants than in any previous round - enabling museums and galleries to improve the care of their collections and make them more accessible and enjoyable for the public."
alanweston@dailypost.co.uk
Source:
icLiverpool
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