A poster for Shanghai Museum's upcoming exhibition On Top of the Pyramid: The Civilization of Ancient Egypt. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Shanghai Museum announced on May 20 its upcoming exhibition On Top of the Pyramid: The Civilization of Ancient Egypt, which will be arguably the largest showcase of ancient Egypt civilization in Asia.

Going on from July 19 to Aug 17 2025, the exhibition will feature 492 groups, comprising 788 artifacts from various eras of ancient Egyptian civilization, according to Chu Xiaobo, director of the Shanghai Museum.

A statue to be showcased at the exhibition. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Visitors will be mesmerized by the grandeur of pharaoh statues ─ including those of Tutankhamun, Amenemhat III and Ramses II ─ a complete set of mummy coffins, intricate queen's golden jewelry, and remarkable new discoveries of painted coffins, animal mummies and statues from the Saqqara region.

A statue among the 788 artifacts from various eras of ancient Egyptian civilization to be showcased at the exhibition. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

These treasures have been carefully curated from seven major Egyptian museums, including the Egyptian Museu, Luxor Museum and Suez Museum, alongside with the latest archaeological findings in Saqqara, Chu says.

A cat statue to be showcased at the exhibition. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The exhibition marks the first comprehensive collaboration between a Chinese official museum and the Egyptian government. The event will "witness the great advance in the golden era of Sino-Egyptian relationship," says Zhong Xiaomin, an official from the Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism.

An artifact of the ancient Egyptian civilization to be on display at the exhibition in Shanghai. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

"This is one of the largest exhibitions we have sent abroad of the last 20 years," says Dr Mohamed Ismail Mohamed Khaled, secretary general of the supreme council of antiquities, the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.

A statue to be showcased at the exhibition. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The exhibition in China is unique because "China and Egypt has had great relation for several thousands of years, and this exhibition is the result of this long collaboration between Egypt and China," he says.