Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United Kingdom England London Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology
AO Edited

Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology

An small and easily overlooked archaeology museum chock full of Egyptian artifacts.

London, England

Added By
exeternaen
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology   exeternaen / Atlas Obscura User
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology   exeternaen / Atlas Obscura User
Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology.   JamazingClayton / Atlas Obscura User
Shabtis at the Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology.   JamazingClayton / Atlas Obscura User
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
Statuette of a woman   Monsieur Mictlan / Atlas Obscura User
An array of Ushabti statuettes   Monsieur Mictlan / Atlas Obscura User
A beautiful depiction of an Ancient Egyptian couple   Monsieur Mictlan / Atlas Obscura User
Ancient Egyptian woman   Monsieur Mictlan / Atlas Obscura User
Ancient Egyptian erotica   Monsieur Mictlan / Atlas Obscura User
Baboon headed organ jar for mummification purposes   Monsieur Mictlan / Atlas Obscura User
Cat headed statuettes   Monsieur Mictlan / Atlas Obscura User
A skeleton pot burial   Monsieur Mictlan / Atlas Obscura User
A sacred baboon artifact   Monsieur Mictlan / Atlas Obscura User
Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology   exeternaen / Atlas Obscura User
Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology   exeternaen / Atlas Obscura User
Quotation from Flinders Petrie.   JamazingClayton / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Tucked away on Malet Place behind an unassuming door and up a flight of stairs, this small archaeology museum is absolutely packed full of Egyptian artifacts. From sarcophagi to baboon shaped amulets to preserved leather shoes, myriad artifacts are crammed in these three rooms that spill out into an adjoining stairwell.

The majority of the artifacts held by the museum were collected by the first keeper of the museum, the eminent Victorian archaeologist and Egyptologist Flinders Petrie. In his long life, Petrie carried out many excavations in the region and made it his life's mission to investigate, chronicle, and conserve the ancient historical sites of Egypt and the Near East.  He was famous for his inexhaustible work ethic and stamina during archeological digs, and he continued to excavate ruins well into his 80s, by which point he had amassed a phenomenal knowledge of these civilizations. 

Visitors are handed a flashlight upon entering since many of the glass cases holding the exhibits are stacked on top of each other, causing the bottom ones to be shrouded in darkness. Crouching in a quiet corner shining your flashlight over the darker areas of the museum really gives a genuine feeling of exploration and discovery that is seldom felt in the more crowded and well-lit museums.

Like the Grant Museum of Zoology just around the corner, the Petrie is available to students for research so some artifacts may come and go as they are checked out by UCL attendees.

Related Tags

Archaeology Egyptian Collections Museums Museums And Collections

Know Before You Go

Located on the University College London campus, off of Gower Street at Malet Place. Around the corner from the Grant Museum of Zoology. Free entry with no tickets needed.

Community Contributors

Added By

exeternaen

Edited By

MagnumPI, wingedwalls, Xoan, Dark Nebula Deluxe...

  • MagnumPI
  • wingedwalls
  • Xoan
  • Dark Nebula Deluxe
  • Monsieur Mictlan
  • Snowdrop68
  • SEANETTA
  • JamazingClayton

Published

November 15, 2016

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://www.ucl.ac.uk/culture/petrie-museum
Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology
Malet Pl
London, England, WC1H 0AT
United Kingdom
51.523603, -0.132944
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Grant Museum of Zoology

London, England

miles away

Jeremy Bentham's Auto-Icon

London, England

miles away

Wellcome Collection & Library

London, England

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of London

London

England

Places 536
Stories 108

Nearby Places

Grant Museum of Zoology

London, England

miles away

Jeremy Bentham's Auto-Icon

London, England

miles away

Wellcome Collection & Library

London, England

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of London

London

England

Places 536
Stories 108

Related Places

  • Silchester Eagle

    Reading, England

    Silchester Eagle

    Once believed to be a sacred Roman legionary symbol, this bronze figure inspired the 1954 novel 'The Eagle of the Ninth.'

  • Sarcophagus

    Barcelona, Spain

    Museu Egipci de Barcelona (Egyptian Museum of Barcelona)

    A beautiful little museum hidden away in the heart of Barcelona holds a treasure trove of Ancient Egyptian artifacts

  • A strange octopus specimen

    Norwich, England

    Norwich Castle Museum

    This medieval castle is filled with an eccentric collection that ranges from ancient Egyptian artifacts to taxidermy to a mummified hand that was cut off during a duel.

  • Shabti figurines in the museum

    Turin, Italy

    Egyptian Museum of Turin

    One of the oldest and most significant collections of Ancient Egyptian archeology outside of Egypt.

  • The Lanchester Diploma.

    Durham, England

    The Lanchester Diploma

    The 2,000-year-old pieces of metal are an ancient soldier's military discharge papers.

  • View of pottery exhibits inside the museum.

    Camp Verde, Arizona

    Verde Valley Archaeology Center

    This comprehensive collection features Native American artifacts dating back centuries.

  • Archaeological Museum Benahoarita.

    La Palma, Spain

    Museo Arqueológico Benahoarita (Archaeological Museum Benahoarita)

    Tools, pottery, and mummies showcase the history of La Palma's native people.

  • The mummified beef shoulder, likely of Prince Amenemhat.

    New York, New York

    Ancient Egyptian Beef Shoulder

    Even for Egyptian royalty, the afterlife was bring-your-own-beef.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.