15 Rare Coffins Go On Public Display at the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir

The Egyptian Museum in Cairo has opened a new exhibition titled ‘Al-Khabia: Hidden Treasures’ in Hall 52 on the upper floor, bringing 15 coffins into public view for the first time as part of a refreshed presentation on ancient Egyptian burial traditions.

The display follows the reconfiguration of Hall 52 after the transfer of the royal mummies and introduces a revised curatorial approach that combines visual storytelling with scientific interpretation.

The exhibition focuses on how ancient Egyptians prepared for the afterlife, using coffins and funerary objects to illustrate beliefs, rituals and preservation practices linked to death and rebirth. ‘

Al-Khabia: Hidden Treasures’ draws together artefacts from three major royal and priestly caches discovered during the 19th century. These caches were created to conceal coffins and funerary assemblages in response to widespread tomb robberies, helping protect significant elements of ancient Egyptian heritage.

By presenting items from different caches within a single narrative, the exhibition explains how these protective strategies contributed to the survival of key archaeological finds now held in museum collections. Alongside the coffins, the exhibition features selected funerary objects that highlight burial arts, religious symbolism and mummification techniques.

Contextual information links the objects to the circumstances of their discovery and their historical background, offering visitors a clearer understanding of both the artefacts and the period in which they were created.