Inside the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum

Exploring the inside of the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum leads you to a wonderful array of artifacts and interesting displays and models to depict what life was like back in the time of the Pharaohs.  You will also notice that the museum is quite different from most museums.  For one thing, there is no gift shop.  You heard correctly, there is no obligatory retail space that you must pass through before exiting the museum.  There is also no cafe or food service.   However the large collection of antiques spanning the pre-dynastic time through Egypt's early Islamic era, are wonderfully displayed and explained.

These clear glass vessels amazed me. The one in the center is called a Double Unguentary because it was designed to hold cosmetic unguents or ointments.  I had never seen one of these ancient glass containers that was so clear and well preserved.  This one dates back to the year 390.

I also enjoyed seeing this painting that was done by the museum's founder, H. Spencer Lewis.  Not only was he a philosopher and explorer, but, he was also a very talented artist.  This painting depicts the creation of the famous bust of Nefertiti.  (The museum has a replica of the bust on display in one of the galleries.)  Looking at this painting makes me feel like I'm a witness to history.

The museum also has many casts of different Egyptian statues that reside in much larger museums across the globe.  The statue to the left of Sekhmet, the healing goddess is one example.  This goddess would have been  called upon when someone was ill.

The cast was acquired in 1938 and is made from the original located in the British Museum.

I enjoyed taking the guided tour of the museum's replica of an Egyptian tomb.  The museum created this burial chamber based on authentic tombs discovered in the hills of Egypt.  The guide explained the paintings on the wall and pointed out where the sarcophagus would be located and where all the supplies designed to sustain the afterlife would have been placed.