From classical guided tours to YouTube videos, from hieroglyph lessons to podcasts – we offer a wide range of opportunities for interested people to educate themselves about Ancient Egypt. It is also possible to book guided tours and workshops for all age groups to supplement to the digital media available in the museum itself (MediaGuide and Media Stations). Special offers for the disabled have been a staple for many years. Additionally, the museum offers lectures and workshops on various subjects at regular intervals.

The Media Station offers a glimpse into the wide spectrum of Egyptian texts, divided into 3 subsections with about 25 themes each. Under “Literary Genres” visitors can access information on novels, fairy tales, love songs, Pyramid Texts and Coffin Texts. Under “Texts” they can explore famous works such as Akhenaten’s Hymn to the Aten or the story of Sinuhe. Medicinal and astronomical texts can be found under the rubric “Specialist Literature”. Additionally, visitors can learn about the steps that led to deciphering the hieroglyphs.

The invention of writing is deeply entwined with the emergence of the Egyptian state. In the late Predynastic Period (ca. 3200 BC onward), local rulers started to expand their sphere of influence; with greater mobility (ships), the necessity of transporting data over greater distances, storing it over longer periods of time and making it available to more people emerged. The very first inscriptions were on storage jars and included information on the contents, a note about its origins and occasionally a mention of quantity.

Imhotep is a historical figure from the early Old Kingdom. He was the architect of the Step Pyramid of King Djoser in Sakkara and the “inventor” of building in stone. The oldest Wisdom Texts are attributed to him; later on, he would become the patron deity of scribes and physicians. High-ranking officials had themselves depicted writing or reading to display their knowledge and experience, but also their devotion and loyalty as public servants.