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Aswan Museum: A Window to Nubian History

Explore Nubian history and culture at the Aswan Museum on Elephantine Island, featuring artifacts from ancient civilizations and the Aswan Dam rescue efforts.

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Located on Elephantine Island, the Aswan Museum showcases artifacts from Nubia and Elephantine Island itself, spanning from pre-dynastic times to the Roman era. Explore statues, mummies, pottery, and more in this culturally rich setting.

A brief summary to Aswan Museum

  • Абу, Aswan, Sheyakhah Oula, Aswan Governorate, EG

Local tips

  • Take the free Aswan-Oberoi ferry from the center of town to Elephantine Island to reach the museum.
  • Explore the ruins of Abu, the pharaonic settlement on the island, located near the museum.
  • Purchase a guidebook in English, German, or Arabic for explanations of the monuments in the ruins of Abu.
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Getting There

  • Ferry

    From Aswan city center, take a local ferry or felucca to Elephantine Island. Ferries are the most common and affordable option. The journey is short and offers scenic views of the Nile. A round trip should cost approximately 5-10 EGP.

  • Walking

    Once on Elephantine Island, the Aswan Museum is located on the southeastern side of the island, near the Ruins of Abu. Follow the main path from the ferry landing, and you'll find signs leading to the museum. The walk is generally easy and takes about 10-15 minutes.

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Discover more about Aswan Museum

The Aswan Museum, established in 1912, is a cultural landmark situated on the southeastern side of Elephantine Island in Aswan. Originally set up by British Egyptologist Cecil Mallaby Firth, the museum was initially intended to house artifacts discovered during excavations on the island. Over time, its collection expanded to include a wide array of items from Nubia and the surrounding regions, saved during the construction of the Aswan Dam. The museum's exhibits offer insights into the history and culture of Aswan and Nubia, with artifacts dating from pre-dynastic times to the late Roman era. Visitors can explore statues of kings and individuals, mummies of sacred rams associated with the god Khnum, various types of pottery, tools of daily life, and funerary paintings. The museum also features architectural and decorative elements, as well as a number of sarcophagi. In recent years, a new annex was added to the museum to display antiquities found during excavations on Elephantine Island. The museum complex also includes the Khnum Temple, dedicated to the god of the flood, and two significant Nilometers, ancient devices used to measure the Nile's water level. The Aswan Museum not only provides a window into the ancient world but also reflects the cultural and historical evolution of the region.

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