3000 BCE – 4th Century AD
Egyptian Art
Three thousand years of pharaonic civilization — monumental sculpture, painted coffins, hieroglyphic papyri, and the everyday objects of ancient Egyptian life.
Explore Egyptian Art from The Met — free, no account needed
Start Drifting — Egyptian ArtThe Metropolitan Museum of Art holds one of the largest and most comprehensive collections of ancient Egyptian art outside of Egypt itself. The collection spans more than 3,000 years of history — from Predynastic artifacts of the 4th millennium BCE through the art of the Roman period in Egypt during the 1st through 4th centuries AD.
The galleries include monumental sculpture, mummies and elaborately decorated coffins, carved relief panels, bronze figurines, painted wooden objects, jewelry, and some of the finest decorated papyri in existence. The collection is especially strong in Middle Kingdom material, including the famous painted wooden models from the tomb of Meketre.
With Museum Drift, you can explore this extraordinary collection continuously — each artwork accompanied by its title, period, dynasty, and medium. Drift through thousands of years of art in a single session.
What You'll Discover
Pharaonic Sculpture
Colossal and lifesize statues of pharaohs, sphinxes, and deities in granite, quartzite, and limestone — among the most technically refined achievements of the ancient world.
Funerary Art
Elaborately decorated coffins, shabtis, canopic jars, and Book of the Dead papyri — the art of preparing for the afterlife across Egyptian dynasties.
Everyday Objects
Pottery, jewelry, tools, mirrors, and games from everyday Egyptian life — offering an intimate view of a civilization that lasted more than three millennia.
The Temple of Dendur
An entire ancient Egyptian temple — the Temple of Dendur, built around 15 BCE — is housed in the Met's Sackler Wing and accessible via Museum Drift.
Frequently Asked Questions
How large is the Met's Egyptian collection?
The Met's Egyptian collection contains approximately 26,000 objects, making it one of the largest and most important collections of ancient Egyptian art in the world outside of Cairo.
Can I view Egyptian artifacts from the Met online?
Yes. Museum Drift streams public domain artworks from The Met's Egyptian Art department for free, with no account required. You can drift through hundreds of objects in a single session.
What dynasties are represented in the Met's Egyptian collection?
The collection covers virtually all periods of ancient Egyptian history — from the Predynastic period (before 3100 BCE) through the Old, Middle, and New Kingdoms, Late Period, Ptolemaic era, and Roman period.