Ancient Egypt is coming to the West Coast in a grand new exhibition that promises to transport visitors thousands of years into the past. At the de Young Museum in San Francisco, the Treasures of the Pharaohs exhibition will showcase rare artifacts, newly uncovered discoveries, and objects never before seen in North America.
Running from August 1 through January 31, 2027, the exhibition brings together 130 remarkable pieces spanning 3,000 years of Egyptian history, offering visitors an immersive look into one of the world’s most fascinating civilizations. From royal treasures to intimate glimpses of daily life, the collection reveals the grandeur, spirituality, and humanity behind Ancient Egypt.
A Journey Through Three Thousand Years of History
Treasures of the Pharaohs takes visitors across different eras of Ancient Egypt, from the Early Dynastic Period to the Late Period. Among the exhibition’s standout pieces is a striking human-shaped outer coffin dating back to the reign of Amenhotep III, alongside monumental statues, intricate gold jewelry, and carefully preserved everyday objects.
The exhibition also highlights newly discovered artifacts from Egypt’s famed “Golden City,” giving audiences in North America a first-ever chance to experience these archaeological finds up close. Together, the objects paint a vivid portrait of a civilization that balanced immense royal power with deeply personal traditions and beliefs.
Exploring Life, Death, and the Divine
The exhibition begins with the pharaoh, viewed in Ancient Egypt not only as a ruler, but as a divine figure at the center of society. From there, it expands into the beliefs and customs that shaped Egyptian life, exploring how religion, kingship, and visual culture were closely intertwined.
Visitors will also discover how Ancient Egyptians viewed death not as an ending, but as the beginning of another journey. Through elaborate burial rituals and carefully chosen tomb objects, including cosmetics, tools, jewelry, and furniture, the exhibition offers insight into the values, routines, and spiritual beliefs that guided everyday life thousands of years ago.
Bringing Egypt’s Treasures to an International Audience
The exhibition was curated by Egyptian archaeologist Tarek El Awady, former director of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, and was first presented in Rome at the Scuderie del Quirinale in 2025.
This edition is organized in collaboration with the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, the Kimbell Art Museum, Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, and the Supreme Council of Antiquities, alongside several international cultural partners.
Thomas P. Campbell, director and CEO of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, described Ancient Egypt as a highly sophisticated society where kingship, religion, and art were inseparable.
Uniting 130 remarkable works of art, ranging from monumental granite statues to delicately crafted gold jewelry, ‘Treasures of the Pharaohs’ invites American audiences to explore the breadth of this civilization, from the apex of royal power to the objects of everyday life.
More than just a display of artifacts, Treasures of the Pharaohs is a cultural bridge connecting modern audiences with one of history’s most enduring civilizations. By bringing together newly discovered treasures, royal masterpieces, and intimate objects from everyday life, the exhibition offers a rare chance to see Ancient Egypt not as a distant chapter in history, but as a living story of people, beliefs, art, and legacy that continues to captivate the world today.
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