The Egyptian Book of the Dead exhibition is returning to The Getty Villa, with new free art talks and gallery tours!
While it originally ran for three months beginning in November 2023, the refreshed exhibition will run from March 4, 2026, through November 30, 2026.
“Among their rigorous preparations for eternity, ancient Egyptians developed an intricate set of religious writings to help the deceased achieve a blessed afterlife in union with the solar god Re and the netherworld god Osiris,” reads the press release. “Known collectively as the Book of the Dead, these ritual spells were inscribed on funerary objects. This exhibition, previously shown in 2023, features Getty’s Book of the Dead manuscripts, illuminating how ancient Egyptians understood the cosmos, the world of the gods, and the nature of existence.”
Before Getty’s 2023 exhibition, those manuscripts had never been on public view.
Interactive events at the Getty
The center is planning three events for fans to engage with the exhibition in person and online.
Whose Egypt? Challenging How Museums Portray Egypt
Saturday Feb 21, 2026 at 2pm – Getty Villa & Online
For more than a century, museums have framed ancient Egypt as an object of fascination. 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 meaningful ways of representing Egypt and its people.
Exhibition Tour: The Egyptian Book of the Dead
Mar 4–May 31, 2026 at 11:45am – Getty Villa
In this 30-minute tour, explore Getty’s Book of the Dead manuscripts, writings intended to help the deceased achieve a blessed afterlife.
Everyday Magic: The Spellbinding Life of the Book of the Dead
Sunday Mar 29, 2026 at 2pm – Getty Villa
The ancient Egyptian Book of the Dead is justly famous for having been interred with its owner following an elaborate burial ritual, and it has often been described as a guide to the afterlife. However, there was no single Book of the Dead. Each unique manuscript, including those on view at the Getty, was compiled from a selection of hundreds of existing spells with their own separate origin and purpose. Join Egyptologist Foy Scalf as he explores the role of the Book of the Dead in the everyday lives of ancient Egyptians, from domestic affairs to temple rituals.
The Getty Villa is free to the public, but the on-site garage costs $25 to park. You can make a reservation here.