Sohag National Museum

The Sohag National Museum was built to commemorate the ancient Egyptian civilisation of the governorate. It stands on the bank of the Nile in a building inspired by traditional ancient Egyptian architecture, and four statues of the lioness goddess Sekhmet flank the entrance.

The museum opened in 2018 to preserve finds from Um El-Ka’ab, one of the earliest Egyptian settlements, from the temples of Abydos and from the resting place of Osiris. Displays of marriage contracts, traditions and local customs tell the story of Egyptian culture, with a particular focus on the role of women in the cities of Upper Egypt through history.

Highlights

The collection is drawn from the Sohag governorate, which covers some of the most important sites of ancient Egypt. Things to look for:

• Finds from Abydos, the great cult centre of Osiris, including stelae and statues left by pilgrims and officials
• Objects from the early royal cemetery at Um El-Ka’ab, linked to the first kings of Egypt
• Pieces from Akhmim, an important town in ancient and Roman times
• The displays on daily life, marriage and local customs, which bring the story up to recent times

The museum is modern and well lit, so take your time with the labels.

Visiting tips

An hour to an hour and a half is enough for most visitors. The museum is on the Nile in Sohag city, which makes it an easy stop on the way to or from the region’s main sites.

The most famous of these is the Temple of Seti I at Abydos, known for its fine painted reliefs and the King List. In Akhmim, the colossal statue of Meritamun, daughter of Ramesses II, stands in an open-air site, and on the west bank near Sohag are the White Monastery and the Red Monastery, two of Egypt’s oldest Christian monasteries.

Seeing the museum first gives useful background before you visit Abydos.