The Role of Preventive Conservation in Designing King Tutankhamun Galleries in the Grand Egyptian Museum

Abstract

It was decided to display the whole collection of King Tutankhamun in the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM). The collection comprises approx. 5640 objects different in material and state of conservation. The conservation centre in the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM-CC) bears the responsibility of conserving GEM collection, and contributing to the exhibition production processes to ensure the optimal preservation for the collection on display. In this paper, a survey of the collection's materials and condition was undertaken to evaluate the risks and corresponding deterioration occurred in the former location which should be mitigated in the new one. It also reports on the parameters which were fulfilled in the designs of King Tutankhamun galleries to guarantee implementing preventive conservation programmes in order to preserve the collection for future generations.