Museum of Mummification, Luxor

The Museum of Mummification explains how ancient Egyptians prepared the body for the afterlife, combining practical skill with religious belief. Opened in 1997, the museum presents the stages of embalming, from washing the deceased to drying the body with natron salt. The full process traditionally lasted 70 days, with about 40 days devoted to dehydration.

Inside, visitors can see embalming tools, canopic jars, coffins, amulets, funerary masks, and mummified remains. Some displays show the more technical side of the process, including tools used to remove the brain through the nose and the small incision made on the left side of the body to remove internal organs. The heart was usually left in place, as Egyptians believed it was needed for judgment in the afterlife.

The museum also includes animal mummies, funerary resins, and objects linked to burial rituals. One notable exhibit is the mummy of Masaharta, a 21st-Dynasty High Priest and army commander. The displays give visitors a clear view of the science, symbolism, and craftsmanship behind one of ancient Egypt’s most distinctive funerary traditions.