Philadelphia’s Penn Museum recently announced that it has received a 2020 Challenge Grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.
The grant, totaling $750,00, will support renovations to the museum’s Egyptian Wing. The galleries will be reconfigured to highlight the 23-foot columns of the 13th century BCE Palace of Merenptah in the upper galleries and the in intact Old Kingdom tomb chapel in the lower galleries. These renovations are the first step in the creation of the museum’s new Ancient Egypt and Nubia Galleries. Upon completion, the galleries will also display the museum’s collections from ancient Nubia for the first time.
Amanda Mitchell-Boyask, Co-Interim Director and Executive Director of Advancement at the Penn Museum, described the importance of the NEH grant in completing the project. “Support from the National Endowment for the Humanities signals that the overall Building Transformation and the new Ancient Egypt and Nubia Galleries are remarkable on a national level. This grant will enable us to re-envision our Ancient Egypt and Nubia Galleries, giving visitors the opportunity to experience the majesty and ingenuity of ancient Egypt and spark new understanding about the people who lived there long ago,” Mitchel-Boyask said.
The Penn Museum will receive the $750,000 Challenge Grant once the museum has fundraised $3,000,000 in additional funds.