Mummy in the spotlights!

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  • €11,250
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  • €3,750
    Matchfunding - Anoniem Fonds

Mummy in the spotlights!

When you think of Ancient Egypt, you think of mummies. The Allard Pierson has a beautiful mummy! The museum owns a unique set: both the mummy as well as the accompanying decorated interior and the sober exterior coffin, plus the cartonnage!

Unfortunately, the mummy has not been on display in the museum gallery for quite some time due to the renovation and refurbishment. At the beginning of September 2020 everything will be ready and we would like to give the mummy a central position in our new Egyptian Cabinet. But that is not as easy as it sounds!

Climate controlled display case
In order to show the mummy and its sarcophagi to the visitors of today as well as the visitors of the future, a climate controlled display case is essential. Such objects require a special and stable climate. The mummy and sarcophagi are vulnerable and both react to changes in temperature and relative humidity. In a normal museum climate, it can happen that within 24 hours considerable peaks are measured. This is particularly damaging to these fragile objects, which are made of paper, organic material and textiles. With a special climate controlled display case we can create a microclimate inside the display and thus monitor the temperature and humidity and keep them within an appropriate range.

Unique presentation
It is highly unusual for a museum to display a mummy, the accompanying inner and outer coffin and the cartonnage as well, which are usually scattered across different museums or in depots. That is what makes this presentation so unique. The mummy of the Allard Pierson is our crowd pleaser!

That is why we are asking for your help in acquiring this special climate controlled display case. With your support we can give our mummy pride of place in the museum, to be admired by the public for a long time to come. Together we can ensure that many generations to come can discover Ancient Egypt in the Allard Pierson.

Help us give the mummy the pride of place it deserves.

Make a donation!

 

For questions about the crowdfunding or fundraising, please contact us:

Erika Happe
Head of Development Allard Pierson
e.happe@uva.nl

For general questions, mail to
relatiebeheer@allardpierson.nl

www.allardpierson.nl

Renovation, ‘inspansion’, refurbishment

The Allard Pierson Museum and Special Collections were merged in early 2019 under one name: Allard Pierson. One organisation also means one building and one entrance. In April 2019, we therefore started a renovation, a so called ‘inspansion’ – expansion of the floor plan within the buildings existing outline - and a grand refurbishment. In this way, the museum and knowledge institute for the heritage collections of the University of Amsterdam will have more space for exhibits as well as for the public.

In our renewed and dynamic museum exhibition From the Nile to the Amstel we tell visitors the story of 10,000 years of cultural history, from Ancient Egypt to Amsterdam. We offer our visitors a journey through time by showing a cross-sectional selection of objects, linked to regions, periods and four recurring themes: religion, power, mobility & trade, and daily life & death.

In addition to chronologically presenting these different periods, we offer various small and large cabinets with special presentations of the collection that allow for more depth. For example, we have a collectors' cabinet, focusing on the creation of our collection, and a special Greek, Etruscan, Hellenistic and Roman cabinet. But we also have a cabinet for Coptic textiles, medieval manuscripts and the history of scripture. Our Egyptian collection deserves a large cabinet where we can present the beautiful and special objects of Ancient Egypt to our visitors. This Egyptian cabinet has two themes: Temples & gods and Journey through the underworld.

We present the mummy and sarcophagi within the theme Journey through the underworld. Here, the main subject is life and death in the afterlife. However, the Old Egyptian afterlife was also a reflection of everyday life: amongst the grave goods we find models of breweries, bakeries, households and ship models.  The deceased was given a small statue of a helper or “sjawabti”, one for each day. The richly decorated mummy coffins show all aspects of the rituals of death and the mummification process.

"Het Oude Egypte is een grote hobby van mij. In Luxor (Egypte) kun je de mummie van Toetanchamon zien maar in het Allard Pierson in ons eigen Amsterdam is ook een mummie! Ik draag graag bij aan de aanschaf van de klimaatvitrine zodat iedereen deze mummie kan zien in het nieuwe Egyptekabinet."

Tom Voûte Allardzn, Senator van het Allard Pierson

Where does my donation go?
All donations received via the crowdfunding platform steunuva.nl will go to the Amsterdam University Fund, before the amount raised is allocated to funds intended for this purpose. The proceeds of the project 'Mummy in the spotlights!' will go entirely to the purchase of a climate controlled display case for the Egyptian Cabinet of the Allard Pierson.

Is my donation to the Amsterdam University Fund tax-deductible?
Yes, the Amsterdam University Fund Foundation is a recognized charity and given the official status  Public Benefit Organisation, or PBO, (ANBI in Dutch) by the Dutch tax authorities. Donations are tax deductible from income or corporation tax. This also applies to donations through crowdfunding. 

What is the Allard Pierson?
The Allard Pierson preserves and presents the heritage collections of the University of Amsterdam. The collections cover ten thousand years of cultural history and range from Egyptian mummies, Greek pottery, medieval manuscripts and seventeenth-century maps, to the recently acquired comics by Peter van Straaten and the archives of Arnon Grunberg and Irma Boom.

The origin of the University of Amsterdam’s extensive heritage collection lies within the first city library in Amsterdam. In the seventeenth century this library became part of the Athenaeum Illustre, forerunner of today's university.

Can I visit the Allard Pierson?
As of 1 June 2020, museums in the Netherlands can reopen their doors to the public. The Allard Pierson has taken all necessary precautions to ensure your visit is safe. Book your ticket online for a date and time slot, click here.

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HET STREEFBEDRAG IS BEHAALD.

11-07-2020 | 00:00 Op 9 juni werd de eerste donatie gedaan. En dat we nu, een maand later, het streefbedrag hebben behaald is boven verwachting. Geweldig. Wij willen alle donateurs graag hartelijk bedanken voor hun gulle giften. Tot ziens in het vernieuwde Allard Pierson!
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