Rosicrucian Museum of Ancient Egypt

The Rosicrucian Museum of Ancient Egypt was founded in 1927. The museum complex includes several buildings built in the style of ancient Egypt, and is located on the territory of a picturesque park. The museum was founded by the Order of the Rose and the Cross, which maintains the museum to this day. This teaching came from ancient Egypt, gradually spreading to European countries.

The founder of the museum, Dr. Harvey Lewis, headed the Order in the early twentieth century. In 1921, he donated money to the Order for an archaeological expedition to Egypt. In return, some of the artifacts were donated by the Egyptian government to the Order and brought to the United States. In 1928, Dr. Lewis presented his collection of antiquities to the San Jose community. Gradually the museum collection grew. Dr. Lewis’ son built a complex of buildings for the museum and founded a park.

The museum has 4 expositions: “Practice of burial and mummies of ancient Egypt”, “Gods and religion”, “Kings and Pharaohs”, as well as “Daily life, trade and relations with neighboring states”. Here, an ancient Egyptian tomb is recreated in detail and real mummies are exhibited, as well as artifacts used in religious rituals. The most famous exhibits are the stone statue of Cleopatra IIV, the statue of the goddess of fertility and childbearing Taurt and the mummy of a child.