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If you happen to be both a pet lover and a museum lover, here is some good news: the Shanghai Museum's upcoming exhibition, On Top of the Pyramid: The Civilization of Ancient Egypt, will host cat-friendly sessions. 

The Egypt-themed exhibition, opening on July 18, will be the largest showcase of Egyptian artifacts in China. Among the highlights of the exhibition will be relics unearthed from the Saqqara site near Cairo, where ruins of a temple dedicated to Bastet, the cat deity, were discovered.  

Bastet, a revered goddess in ancient Egypt, is depicted with the head of a cat and governs love and fertility.

The cat-friendly sessions, titled Fantastic Night, will be inaugurated on July 27. Ten such nights will be held on Saturdays running through Sept 28. 

To ensure a delightful viewing experience for pet lovers and their furry friends, the Shanghai Museum will provide pet insurance and arrange veterinarians on standby during these events. Other beneficial services, such as pet strollers, sedatives for stressed cats, and a depository for cats, will be available.

A statue of Bastet, the cat deity in ancient Egypt, is to be showcased at the Shanghai Museum.[Photo/China Daily]

Here is a guide to buying tickets for Fantastic Night:

 

Dates: July 27 - Sept 28 (every Saturday, 6 pm - 9 pm)

Number of visitors allowed: 2,000 people per session (including 200 tickets for attendees with a cat)

Prices: 268 yuan per person with a cat; 258 yuan per regular adult; 150 yuan per minor.

How to buy tickets: Ticket sales will begin at noon on July 19. You can search for "上海博物馆Shanghai Museum" on the Ctrip app to buy tickets.

Entry rules: - One visitor is allowed to bring one cat;  - The ticket is not refundable; - Visitors must bring a pet immunization certificate issued by a legitimate pet hospital (proof of feline triple vaccine and rabies vaccine needed);  - Minors must be accompanied by at least one adult.

 

 

There is more to explore!

In addition to the cat-friendly sessions, the Shanghai Museum will provide a range of other activities for audiences to explore the charm of ancient Egypt.

 

Immersive ancient Egypt experience 

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An immersive exhibition titled The Disappeared Pharaoh: An Immersive Exploration of Khufu Pyramid will be held from July 19 to Aug 17.  

Through virtual reality technology, viewers will be able to experience a 45-minute time-travel journey. You can purchase the VR tickets through the "博新全宇宙" mini-program on WeChat or on-site.

From the Nile to the Huangpu River 

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After visiting the exhibition during the day, viewers can head to the Huangpu River to enjoy Shanghai's beautiful night scenery.

During the Egyptian exhibition, which will run for 13 months, an ancient Egyptian-style cruise named Shanghai Museum will sail along the Huangpu River at night, allowing visitors to experience a mysterious Egyptian atmosphere while enjoying the magnificent view of the two sides across the Huangpu River. 

Double-decker shuttle bus

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To facilitate travel between the two venues of the Shanghai Museum (the People's Square venue and the Shanghai Museum East), a customized shuttle bus will run between the two sites during the exhibition. 

Two double-decker buses will depart from the People's Square venue and the Shanghai Museum East at 11 am, noon, 1 pm, 2 pm, and 3 pm from Wednesday to Sunday.

The final destination of the last buses is the Shiliupu Wharf on the Bund, where visitors can then tour the Huangpu River aboard the Shanghai Museum cruise.

Special metro line

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The Shanghai Museum has installed Egyptian exhibition-themed lightboxes at nearby metro stations. Additionally, a special Egypt-themed train on Metro Line 2 is set to launch soon. 

 

The museum has also launched a series of cultural and creative products as well as study activities that are designed to engage audiences of varying ages. 

 

Mobile game 

The Shanghai Museum has developed a mobile game called "Temple of the Egyptian Cat" for this exhibition. Upon entering the game through the WeChat mini-program, players will be guided by the ancient Egyptian cat goddess Bastet to collect artifacts on display at the exhibition. Through this game, players can also rebuild the cat temple through engaging jigsaw puzzles. 

Souvenirs

Over 1,000 cultural and creative products will be introduced based on classic Egyptian cultural elements. The initial release includes nearly 600 products, consisting of five major series: "Guardian Deities", "Belief in Gods", "Sacred Symbols", "Hieroglyphs", and "Egyptian Landscapes". 

Food 

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The Shanghai Museum will offer its unique culinary creations, featuring Arab dishes like stewed rice, pita bread, Arabic tea, and pyramid cakes.

Studying and learning activities

During the exhibition, the Shanghai Museum has planned various cultural and educational activities that cater to audiences of all ages. 

[Photo/WeChat account "SH-Museum"]

These activities include "Mummies and Pharaoh Cats: An Exploration of Ancient Egypt" for families with children, "Faces from Two Thousand Years Ago: The Soul-Stirring Portraits of Ancient Egyptian Mummies", and "Gods and Treasures: Unveiling the Mysterious Veil of Ancient Egypt" for adults. 

Scripted tour

"The Secret of Saqqara - The Last Cat Goddess Festival" scripted tour provides audiences, especially children, with a narrative-driven, immersive viewing experience. 

Participants will embark on a time-traveling adventure using a manuscript left by Herodotus. Throughout the exhibition, they will meet important historical figures such as Tutankhamun and Ramesses II, solve tasks, and decipher clues to help the cat goddess Bastet complete the Cat Goddess Festival.

[Photo/WeChat account "SH-Museum"]

Egypt tour lottery

Every month during the exhibition, the Shanghai Museum will randomly select one lucky visitor who will receive free round-trip tickets between Shanghai and Cairo, along with an eight-day free travel package in Egypt. 

The itinerary will include visits to world-renowned sites such as the Pyramids of Giza, the Sphinx, the Egyptian Museum, Khan El-Khalili Market, the Red Sea, Karnak Temple, and Luxor Temple. 

 

Source: "SH-Museum" WeChat account