Treasures of the Pharaohs at de Young Museum — Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco

 

Outer anthropoid coffin lid of Thuya. Luxor, Valley of the Kings, Tomb of Yuya and Thuya (KV 46), New Kingdom, Dynasty 18, reign of Amenhotep III. Wood, gilded stucco with inlays of blue glass, obsidian (eyes), light blue, dark blue, and red glass, 86 x 26 ½ x 37 in. (218.5 x 67.5 x 94 cm). Egyptian Museum in Cairo, JE 95232.1&2, CG 51006.1&2, SR 4/8.1&2. Photograph by Massimo Listri

 
 
 

Treasures of the Pharaohs

 

August 1, 2026 – January 31, 2027

 

This exhibition brings the world of the pharaohs to life through 130 exquisite works spanning 3,000 years of history. From towering stone statues to gilded masks to intricate gold jewelry, these objects reveal the power, beauty, and beliefs of the ancient Egyptians.

The exhibition begins with the pharaoh, who was seen as both a king and a god. It then expands to explore the people and beliefs that shaped Egyptian life. Explore how Egyptians viewed death not as an ending, but as a new beginning — and the elaborate rituals they created to prepare for it. Objects found in tombs — such as jewelry, cosmetics, tools, and furniture — offer a glimpse into daily life and values.

A special highlight is the US debut of objects from the Golden City, a newly unearthed workers’ community near Luxor. The suddenly abandoned city is a moment frozen in time, much like Pompeii. Together, these artifacts illuminate one of history’s most extraordinary civilizations.

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Click the image below to watch Treasures of the Pharaohs Opening Day Talk with Dr. Tarek El Awady.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Exhibition Preview

 

Family statue of the mayor Sennefer, his wife Senetnay, and daughter Mutnefret Dynasty 18, New Kingdom Granodiorite, 126 x 76 x 65 cm Cache of Karnak Temple, Luxor Egyptian Museum, Cairo, JE36574, CG42126, SR4/1146

Limestone relief of Akhenaten, Nefertiti, and two princesses worshipping the Aten, New Kingdom, 18th Dynasty Akhenaten. Limestone and pigment (unspecified), 20 7/8 x 18 7/8 x 7 1/16 in. (53 x 48 x 18 cm). Photograph by Massimo Listri

Pectoral pendant of Amenemope, Dynasty 21, Third Intermediate Period, Gold, lapis lazuli, feldspar, and glass, 3 3/4 x 4 5/8 in. (9.6 x 11.6 cm) , Tomb of Amenemope, Tanis , Egyptian Museum in Cairo, JE 86037, SR 1/8737. Photograph by Massimo Listri

Kneeling statue of Hatshepsut. Hashepsut’s Funerary Temple, Deir el-Bahari, West Bank of Luxor. New Kingdom, Dynasty 18. Red granite, 31 1/2 x 20 1/2 x 15 3/4 in. (80 x 52 x 40 cm). The Egyptian Museum in Cairo, JE 47703, SR 4/11715. Photograph by Massimo Listri

Outer anthropoid coffin lid of Thuya. Luxor, Valley of the Kings, Tomb of Yuya and Thuya (KV 46), New Kingdom, Dynasty 18, reign of Amenhotep III. Wood, gilded stucco with inlays of blue glass, obsidian (eyes), light blue, dark blue, and red glass, 86 x 26 ½ x 37 in. (218.5 x 67.5 x 94 cm). Egyptian Museum in Cairo, JE 95232.1&2, CG 51006.1&2, SR 4/8.1&2. Photograph by Massimo Listri

Collar of Psusennes I. Tomb of Psusennes I, Tanis. Third Intermediate Period, Dynasty 21. Gold, lapis lazuli, carnelian, and jasper, 27 9/16 x 15 3/4 in. (70 x 40 cm). The Egyptian Museum in Cairo, JE 85752, SR 1/8418. Photograph by Massimo Listri

Triad of Menkaure flanked by Hathor and the personification of the Nome of Thebes. Giza Necropolis, Valley temple of Menkaure’s Pyramid. Old Kingdom, Dynasty 4. Schist, 34 1/4 x 21 1/2 x 15 3/4 in. (87 x 54 x 40 cm). The Egyptian Museum in Cairo, E 40628. Photograph by Massimo Listri

Armchair of Princess Sitamun. Luxor, Valley of the Kings, Tomb of Yuya and Thuya (KV46). New Kingdom, Dynasty 18, reign of Amenhotep III. Wood, with gold leaf and stucco, and plant fibers, 30 1/4 x 20 1/2 x 21 1/4 in. (77 x 52 x 54 cm). Egyptian Museum in Cairo, JE 69072, JE 95342, CG 51113, Sr 4/119. Photograph by Massimo Listri

Necklace of Ahhotep with Golden Flies, Second Intermediate period - Eighteenth Dynasty, Gold, Length of the chain 59 cm, length of the pendants 9 cm. Photograph by Massimo Listri

Inty-Shedu, overseer of the boat of the goddess Neith. Late Dynasty 4 or early Dynasty 5, Old Kingdom. Painted limestone, 29 1/2 x 10 1/4 x 10 5/8 in. (75 x 26 x 27 cm). Upper cemetery of the Pyramid Builders Necropolis, southeast of the Sphinx, Giza, Cairo. Egyptian Museum in Cairo, JE 98945, SR 2/19442. Photograph by Massimo Listri

Servant brewing beer. Giza Necropolis. Old Kingdom, Dynasty 5. Limestone, painted, 11 x 8 1/4 x 4 5/16 in. (28 x 21 x 11 cm).The Egyptian Museum in Cairo, JE 99140, SR 2/19478. Photograph by Massimo Listri

 
 
 
 
ExhibitionsEditorial TeamArt of the Ancestors, Steven G. Alpert, Asian Art, Island Southeast Asian Art, Oceanic Art, Asiatica, Ethnographica, Ethnographic Art, Art Collection, Fine Art, Primitive Art, Indonesian Art, Tribal Art, Eyes of the Ancestors, Dr. Reimar Schefold, de Young, de Young Museum