The Shanghai Museum has kept its doors open for 168 consecutive hours to give visitors one final chance to experience its landmark exhibition on Ancient Egypt.
From August 11 to 17, the museum transformed into a sleepless cultural carnival, blending scholarship with spectacle as crowds poured in at every hour of the day and night.
The exhibition, presented in partnership with Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities, gathered 788 treasures spanning from the Old Kingdom to the Greco-Roman era. Many of these artifacts, including mummies, statues, jewelry, and manuscripts, appeared in China for the first time, offering audiences a rare immersion into one of history’s greatest civilizations. Towering pharaohs, cat mummies, and intricate papyri created an atmosphere that visitors described as both haunting and unforgettable.
Since opening last year, the show has attracted more than 2.6 million people and is expected to surpass 2.7 million by its close, cementing its place as one of the museum’s most successful undertakings. To meet soaring demand, the institution broke from tradition by extending admission through the night and capping midnight sessions at 3,000 visitors, with tickets sold at half price. Even at dawn, lines remained steady as guests sought both affordability and the thrill of wandering among ancient relics in the quiet hours.
Beyond the artifacts, the museum infused the marathon with vitality through dance performances, book launches, interactive games, and creative markets. The result was not only an exhibition but also a festival of cultural exchange that redefined how major institutions can serve public appetite for knowledge.
Museum director Chu Xiaobo further reflected on the significance of the moment:
“Egypt and China are two of the world’s ancient civilizations. This exhibition has created a bridge of understanding between them. We wanted to give as many people as possible the chance to experience that before the artifacts return home.”
As the final hours of the marathon wind down, the Shanghai Museum’s sleepless celebration stands as both farewell and triumph, a once-in-a-lifetime encounter with the eternal legacy of Egypt.
