Photograph of the Pitt Rivers Museum from Wikimedia Commons, taken in 2015.

Weaponising women: How an article about women’s rights and access is really a criticism of decolonisation.

On September 25, 2024July 22, 2024 By hannahpethenIn Blog, Public archaeology, Traditional and Social Media2 Comments

What do women's right have to do with decolonisation? A lot as it turns out.

Misunderstanding Museums: How criticism of the Pitt Rivers Museum reveals public misunderstandings about how museums work.

On August 28, 2024July 20, 2024 By hannahpethenIn Public archaeology, Traditional and Social Media2 Comments

How do museums work? What proportion of their collection can you see as a visitor? How much is online? And what do changes to the museum mean for physical and digital visits?

Grand Egyptian Museum: Grand Staircase Review

On March 28, 2024April 10, 2024 By hannahpethenIn Museum collections3 Comments

A review of the ancient Egyptian sculptures on the Grand Staircase of the Grand Egyptian Museum at Giza.

The photo shows an open court with a hanging obelisk in the centre, flanked by colonnades leading to the entrance of the Grand Egyptian Museum

Grand Egyptian Museum Atrium and Immersive Tutankhamun: Review

On February 28, 2024 By hannahpethenIn Exhibition review2 Comments

The courtyard of the Grand Egyptian Museum, with the entrance to the left and the hanging obelisk of Ramses II to the right. The route from the obelisk to the entrance is flanked by colonnades and shallow lakes. (Author photo) The colossus of Ramses II, in position in the atrium of the GEM. (Author photo). …

Continue reading Grand Egyptian Museum Atrium and Immersive Tutankhamun: Review

What sahw you? ‘Mummies’, ‘Mummified people’ or ‘Mummified remains’?

On May 31, 2023June 22, 2023 By hannahpethenIn Museum collections2 Comments

What should we call mummified ancient Egyptians? 'Mummy' is thought offensive, but is 'mummified people' a better term?

Review of the British Museum’s ‘Hieroglyphs: unlocking ancient Egypt’ exhibition

On December 21, 2022August 14, 2025 By hannahpethenIn Exhibition reviewLeave a comment

The British Museum's crowd-pleasing exhibition on Hieroglyphs features the Rosetta Stone, but how does it deal with the complexity of decipherment and the role of Egyptians?

Wunderkammers, colonial hangovers and multivocality.

On August 24, 2022August 14, 2025 By hannahpethenIn Museum collections, Public archaeology4 Comments

Is the Wunderkammer just a colonial hangover or does it have more to teach us?

Egyptian Artefacts in the Southend Museum

On June 29, 2022August 14, 2025 By hannahpethenIn Exhibition review2 Comments

Did you know that Southend Museum has a small collection of ancient Egyptian objects? Here I look at some on display in the recent Wunderkammer exhibition.