Wisbech Museum summer exhibition explores 'Egyptomania'

The display includes tomb artefacts, Victorian tourist photographs, and insights into the rise of "Egyptomania."

Visitors will also find souvenirs and letters from Wisbech Quaker banker Alexander Peckover, offering a humorous glimpse into Egypt 60 years before Tutankhamun's tomb was unearthed.

Peckover embarked on his Egyptian journey in 1863, encouraged by friends after the death of his young wife the previous year.

Ushabti mummiform figure (Image: Wisbech Museum) The exhibition will run until September 13 and is open Wednesday to Saturday, from 10am to 4pm.

Entry is free for under-16s, students, and other eligible groups, while a year's pass for adults costs £5.

A family open day on Wednesday, August 6, waives all admission fees.

Children can engage in Egyptian-themed crafts and learn about mummification.

Fragment of sarcophagus (Image: Wisbech Museum) The museum will also host children's workshops throughout August.

Details and booking can be found on the museum's Facebook page and website.

The exhibition offers a glimpse into how Egypt captured the Western imagination, a fascination that persists today.

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