For more than a century, museums have framed ancient Egypt as an object of fascination—something to collect, display, and consume—often disconnected from its current people and cultures. In this talk, Egyptologist Heba Abd el Gawad examines how the land’s heritage and identity have been shaped into a museum commodity and how this approach is finally being challenged. She explores how museums can move beyond appropriation toward more responsible, meaningful, and inclusive ways of representing Egypt and its people, past and present.
Whose Egypt? Challenging How Museums Portray Egypt
Talk
Image of museum signage.
Photo: Heba Abd el Gawad
About
Heba Abd el Gawad
Egyptian Heritage and Museum Specialist
Heba Abd el Gawad is an Egyptian heritage and museum specialist and senior curator of anthropology at the Horniman Museum and Gardens in the United Kingdom. She specializes in the history of Egyptian archaeology and in contemporary Egyptian perceptions and representations of ancient Egypt. Her current multimedia project is All Eyes on Her! at London’s Horniman Museum and Gardens, which connects contemporary Egyptian perspectives with Egyptian collections dispersed across the world through the voices and experiences of women engaged in acts of everyday activism. Abd el Gawad is currently a Getty Villa Scholar through March 2026.
Know Before You Go
Duration
Approximately 1 hour
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Can’t make it?
Shortly following this event, a recording will be available on Getty's YouTube channel under "Talks and Conversations."
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