San Francisco is about to host an internationally touring exhibition dedicated to ancient Egyptian civilization, showcasing 130 objects on loan from Cairo’s Egyptian Museum and the Luxor Museum.
Treasures of the Pharaohs makes its American debut at San Francisco’s de Young Museum from August 1, 2026, through January 31, 2027, marking the first U.S. stop for this collection.
The show delves into the eras when pharaohs ruled as both military commanders and top religious figures, spanning roughly 3100 BC up until Rome’s conquest in 30 BC.
Power, faith, and everyday life
Dr. Tarek El Awady, former director of the Egyptian Museum, organized this global tour, structuring the display across six thematic areas covering rulership, class structure, and religious customs.
Visitors will encounter belongings once owned by royalty, elite officials, and skilled craftspeople, alongside jewelry, makeup tools, and furnishings that illustrate ordinary life in ancient Egypt.
Notable pieces include Thuya’s gilded outer coffin, a pendant made of gold and lapis lazuli that belonged to Amenemope, and a chair built for Princess Sitamun. In a North American first, the exhibit will feature relics from the Golden City—also called the Dazzling Aten—a settlement for laborers active during Amenhotep III’s rule, roughly 1390 to 1352 BC.
His successor Akhenaten later deserted this community to found Amarna as his new capital; archaeologists only rediscovered its intact streets and workshops in 2021.
The tour concludes by exploring death rituals and the sophisticated embalming techniques ancient Egyptians developed to ready the deceased for the afterlife.
Tickets and dates
📅 Dates: August 1, 2026 – January 31, 2027
📍Location: de Young Museum, 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive, San Francisco
🎫 Tickets: Treasures of the Pharaohs requires special exhibition tickets to the de Young Museum
🎤 Opening day: On Aug. 1, curator Dr. Tarek El Awady will give a talk, plus a book signing with archaeologist Dr. Zahi Hawass
🌐 Learn more: Visit the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco’s website