Egyptian mummies have always been a secret fascination for children and adults worldwide. Now locals in Mumbai will get to travel back in time to the land of the Pharaohs and witness a grand revival of the Egyptian civilization in their very own neighborhood museum. The Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya in Mumbai (also known as the Prince of Wales Museum) along with the British Museum in London is hosting the exhibition of Mummy: The Inside Story between November 21, 2012 and March 24, 2013.

The exhibition includes many exciting workshops and events for children. One of the main attractions of the exhibition is the 3D film on the 3000-year-old mummy of an Egyptian temple priest, Nesperenub. All the exhibits have been specially brought in from the British Museum to showcase Egypt’s rich cultural history to Mumbai denizens.

The 20-minute 3D film unravels the mysteries of the Egyptian mummies by conducting a virtual unwrapping of the mummy of Nesperenub using computerized Tomography scanning and X-rays. The film is screened every half-hour from 11 am to 5.30 p.m.

The film that has delighted children of all ages is proving to be an enthralling experience for the adults as well. “Previously, we had to physically unravel a mummy in order to explore it, but with this technology, we can look inside while leaving the mummy intact,” said Neil MacGregor, director of the British Museum when he spoke at the inauguration of the exhibition.

The 3D film creates a simulation experience for the audience, where viewers travel inside the body and discover the secrets of the complex mummification process. The film also uncovers some hidden facts about the mummification process such as extraction of the brains through the nose without cutting the skull using metal hooks. In ancient Egypt, a set of jars were used to hold the organs extracted from the body.

Besides Egyptian mummies and their coffins, the exhibition also showcases religious artifacts, idols, and hieroglyph-covered stelae. Special tours are conducted on Wednesdays for under-privileged children and for the blind. The exhibition’s forensic approach to studying Egypt’s history is a radical experiment by the British Museum.

Mumbai is the place to be within the next two months if one wishes to catch a glimpse of their favorite mummy. “Egyptian mummies have been a subject of intense curiosity around the world, so this exhibition will be very interesting for Mumbai visitors,” says Kumari Selja, a union minister for social justice and empowerment.

Image Courtesy : JohnBurke

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About the author

Kritika Kulshrestha
I studied Computer Engineering in Mumbai, India and completed my Bachelor's program in 2010. After that, I worked with Deloitte Consulting for two years. Since April 2012, I have been working as a freelance writer and ghost-writer. I'm also working as a positive news media journalist with Youth Leader.org since July 2012. I completed an online internship with a citizen journalism initiative in India. My focus is writing on lifestyle, culture, and society. A few things that I love doing - reading, writing poetry, listening to music, playing the guitar, travel, movies, and gorging on good food. I'm committed and deadline-driven and a great team player. Love to get to know new people and learn their stories. Reporting from India.