Secrets of the Mummies

Explore Derby Museums’ Ancient Egyptian collection, including the famous mummies.

What can I see?

The highlights of the gallery are the two Egyptian mummies given to the Derby Town and County Museum by Joseph Strutt, the former Mayor of Derby and a collector of antiquities. The mummies have been on display at the Museum and Art Gallery since it opened in 1879.

The mummies date from around 650BC and 250BC. Both mummies are elaborately decorated and the older mummy is partially unwrapped so that you can see his face, hands and feet.

Other objects in the gallery include ushabtis, small figures placed in Ancient Egyptian tombs, and figures of Ancient Egyptian gods.

What can I learn?

Learn about the religious beliefs of the Ancient Egyptians, how and why people and animals were mummified, and how people in Ancient Egypt prepared for the afterlife.