Discover the rich history of the Egypt Centre through our timeline. From its inception to the present day, explore key milestones, achievements, and exhibitions that have shaped the museum into the cultural hub it is today. Journey through time and uncover the stories that have defined our institution.
22 June 1970
Phone conversation between David Dixon and Gwyn Griffiths discussing the possibility of a portion of the Wellcome collection being offered to the University College of Swansea. This was followed by a letter summarising the details.
15 February 1971
Letter and agreement sent by University College London (UCL), on behalf of the Wellcome Trust, to the University College of Swansea (now Swansea University) formally offering them a part of the collection.
24 June 1971
The committee of the University College of Swansea agrees to accept the offer.
01 September 1971
92 crates of objects are collected from UCL and brought to Swansea. Kate Bosse-Griffiths becomes the Honorary Curator of the collection.
16 June 1976
The Swansea Wellcome Collection is officially inaugurated during a speech by Gwyn Griffiths.
15 March 1978
Over 300 objects are gifted to the collection by the British Museum. The objects were part of the residual excavation material of the Egypt Exploration Society (EES), which had been presented to the British Museum two years prior.
12 January 1982
The coffin of Iwesenhesetmut is presented to the collection by the Exeter Royal Albert Memorial Museum.
05 December 1983
Over 100 objects are gifted to the collection by the National Museum of Wales, Cardiff.
1993
David Gill replaces Kate Bosse-Griffiths as the Honorary Curator of the collection.
05 September 1995
The museum attains accreditation for the first time.
05 October 1996–05 January 1997
The Face of Egypt exhibition takes place at the Glynn Vivian Art Gallery, Swansea.
1997
Construction work on the Egypt Centre building commences.
24 March 1997
Over 130 objects are gifted to the collection by the University of Wales, Aberystwyth (now Aberystwyth University).
24 August 1997
Carolyn Graves-Brown appointed Curator of the collection.
November 1997
Wendy Goodridge becomes our first volunteer.
28 September 1998
The Egypt Centre is opened to the public during an inauguration ceremony.
February 1999
Young volunteer programme (Nubies) introduced.
01 May 1999
The first Friends of the Egypt Centre lecture, which Professor Alan Lloyd delivered, takes place.
30 November 1999
A plaque dedicated to Kate Bosse-Griffiths was unveiled at the entrance to the House of Life gallery.
08 February 2000
Stuart Williams becomes the first Volunteer Manager of the Egypt Centre.
08 March 2001
Launch of the exhibition Reflections of Women in Ancient Egypt.
19 January 2002
Introduction of the Saturday workshops (New Opportunities Fund ([NOF]).
18 May 2003
Charity conference to raise funds for the Nile Cycle Challenge.
13–20 October 2003
The Egypt Centre’s Curator Carolyn Graves-Brown participates in the Nile Cycle Challenge to raise funds for Sunshine Project International.
December 2003
The Egypt Centre awarded a Barings grant for our innovative volunteer programme.
19–20 November 2004
The Egypt Centre hosts the conference Museums and the Making of Egyptology.
04 May 2005
Launch of the British Museum’s long-term loan entitled Offerings from the British Museum.
24 November 2005
The Egypt Centre receives the Rhind Mathematical Papyrus on loan from the British Museum.
19–20 December 2005
The Egypt Centre hosts the conference “Don your Wig for a Happy Hour”: Sex and Gender in Ancient Egypt.
2005
Launch of the Egypt Centre’s online catalogue.
04 July 2006
The Prince of Wales (Charles) and the Duchess of Cornwall (Camilla) visit the Egypt Centre.
09–10 December 2006
The Egypt Centre hosts the conference “The Exploited and the Adored”: Animals in Ancient Egypt.
29 November 2007
The Egypt Centre is shortlisted for the Times Higher Education Supplement Award for widening participation.
21 August–11 October 2008
The Egypt Centre loans fourteen objects to the Royal Museum of Cornwall, Truro for their exhibition Masters of Mathematics.
01 March 2010
Launch of the exhibition Through the Lens: Images of Egypt 1917–2009.
10–12 May 2010
The Egypt Centre hosts the conference Experiment and Experience: Ancient Egypt in the Present.
01 June–24 July 2011
The Egypt Centre loans its Fayum Portrait (W646) to the National Archaeological Museum, Madrid, for their exhibition Fayum Portraits + Adrian Paci: No Visible Future.
31 May 2012
The Egypt Centre receives 58 objects on long-term loan from Woking College.
13 March 2014
Baroness Kay Andrews Report on Culture and Poverty was published with the Egypt Centre as a case study.
30 July 2014
The Under 5’s area opens at the Egypt Centre.
20 July 2015
The Egypt Centre’s Assistant Curator Wendy Goodridge is highly commended in Swansea University’s Mary Williams Award.
21–24 March 2016
The Egypt Centre co-organises the Conference Demon Things: Ancient Egyptian Manifestations of Liminal Entities.
01 June 2018
The Egypt Centre receives the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service for its volunteer programme.
04–08 September 2018
The Egypt Centre hosts the annual CIPEG (Comité International pour l’Égyptologie) conference with the theme of Beating Barriers! Overcoming Obstacles to Achievement.
25–26 May 2019
The Egypt Centre organises the conference Wonderful Things: The Material Culture of the Egypt Centre.
20 March 2020
The Egypt Centre closes because of the COVID-19 Pandemic.
30 April–10 July 2020
The Egypt Centre hosts its second Wonderful Things: The Material Culture of the Egypt Centre conference. As a result of the ongoing COVID-19 lockdown, these talks took place on Zoom.
24 May 2020
The Egypt Centre’s first online course commences.
08 October 2020
The Egypt Centre launches a new online catalogue hosted by Abaset Collections Ltd.
15–17 September 2021
The Egypt Centre celebrates fifty years since part of the Wellcome collection arrived in Swansea with a conference Fifty Years of the Wellcome Collection at Swansea and Beyond.
21 September 2021
The Egypt Centre reopens to the public following the COVID-19 Pandemic.
29 April 2022
Carolyn Graves-Brown retires from her position of Curator at the Egypt Centre, a position she held since 1997.
01 June 2022
Ken Griffin is appointed as the new Curator at the Egypt Centre.
17 September 2022–15 April 2023
Animal mummies from the Egypt Centre sent on loan to Epping Forest District Museum for their temporary exhibition Animal Mummies Uncovered.
01–02 October 2022
The Egypt Centre hosts the Sixth Egypt Exploration Society Congress. To coincide with the conference, a temporary exhibition display highlighting objects in the Egypt Centre collection from EES excavations is launched.
29 November 2022
The statue of Djedher is transferred to the Egypt Centre from the Petrie Museum to be reunited with its base.
28 February 2023
Over 800 objects arrive on loan to the Egypt Centre from Harrogate Museums.
26 May 2023
The first temporary exhibition display curated by a Swansea University student (Kian Murphy) is launched.
07 October 2023
The Egypt Centre marks twenty-five years since opening to the public with a conference. At this event, the first temporary exhibition of the Harrogate collection (Causing Their Names to Live) was launched.
29 February 2024
Large Howard Carter watercolour goes on display at the Egypt Centre following its temporary loan from the Egypt Exploration Society.
17 May 2024
The second temporary exhibition display curated by Swansea University students is launched.
25 May 2024
The Egypt Centre hosted the Sudan Archaeological Research Society’s annual colloquium (The W. Y. Adams Colloquium: Sudan Past & Present).