Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum: Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|Museum in San Jose, California}}

The '''Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum''' (REM), founded by [[Ancient Mystical Order Rosae Crucis|AMORC]], is a museum about [[Ancient Egypt]] located at AMORC's [[Rosicrucian Park]] at [[San Jose, California]], [[USA]].

{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}

{{Infobox museum

| name = Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum

| image = Rc egyptian museum.jpg

| alt = Karnak-style entrance to the museum with a statue of the goddess Tawaret

| caption = [[Karnak]]-style entrance to the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum, with statue of [[Tawaret]]

| ___location = [[San Jose, California]], United States

| coordinates = {{coord|37.3342|-121.9233|format=dms|type:landmark_region:US-CA|display=inline,title}}

| type = Archaeological museum

| founder = [[Harvey Spencer Lewis]]

| visitors = 110,000 (2017)

| director = Julie Scott

| website = {{URL|https://www.egyptianmuseum.org}}

}}

{{Hermeticism}}

The founder of AMORC, Dr. [[Harvey Spencer Lewis]] (Ph.D., F.R.C.), was a collector of various artifacts with mystical symbolism, some of them from the East. In [[1921]] he helped financially the archaelogical excavations at [[Tell el Amarna]] (the city of the [[King Akhenaten]]) of the [[Egypt Explorations Society of Boston]] by receiving donations from AMORC members. In return, Egypt Explorations Society donated several Egyptian antiquities to AMORC.

InThe [[1928]]'''Rosicrucian heEgyptian presentedMuseum''' to(REM) theis publicdevoted ato collection[[ancient namedEgypt]], "Thelocated at [[Rosicrucian EgyptianPark]] Orientalin Museum"the [[Rose Garden, locatedSan atJose, theCalifornia|Rose administrationGarden]] buildingsneighborhood of AMORC at [[San Jose, California]], United States.

It was founded by the [[Ancient Mystical Order Rosae Crucis]] (AMORC). The [[Rosicrucianism|Rosicrucian]] order continues to support and expand the museum and its educational and scientific activities. The museum holds the largest collection of ancient Egyptian antiquities in the Western United States,<ref name="kqed why">{{cite web |last=Myrow |first=Rachael |title=What Is the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum and Why Is It in San Jose? |url=https://www.kqed.org/news/11551947/what-is-the-rosicrucian-egyptian-museum-and-why-is-it-in-san-jose |website=KQED |date=July 13, 2017 |access-date=2024-06-24}}</ref> and is located next to the AMORC headquarters.<ref name="atlas obscura">{{cite web |last=Black |first=Annetta |title=San Jose, California, Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum |url=http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/rosicrucian-egyptian-museum |website=Atlas Obscura |access-date=2014-10-04}}</ref>

After Dr. Lewis' tour in [[Egypt]] in [[1929]], AMORC received much more artifacts and donations and as a result the collection grew significantly, with more than 2000 exhibits.

==History==

The second Imperator of AMORC, [[Ralph Maxwell Lewis]] (F.R.C.), son of H. Spencer Lewis, decided to build new buldings for the museum. The new museum buildings opened in [[November]] [[1966]].

The founder of AMORC, [[Harvey Spencer Lewis]], was a collector of various artifacts with mystical symbolism, some of them from the East. His very first artifact was a small [[Sekhmet]] statue. In 1921 he contributed financially to the archaeological excavations at [[Amarna|Tel el Amarna]] (Akhetaten, the capital city of the 18th dynasty pharaoh [[Akhenaten]]) of the Egypt Explorations Society of Boston by receiving donations from AMORC members. In return, the Egypt Explorations Society donated several Egyptian antiquities to AMORC.

By that time the museum managed to become unique by:

* Having the largest exhibition of Ancient Egyptian antiquities in the Western [[United States|US]].

* Being the only such museum on the world with buildings constructed in Ancient Egyptian architectural style.

* Being located in a beautiful Egyptian revival park.

In 1928, he presented to the public a collection named "The Rosicrucian Egyptian Oriental Museum", located at the administration buildings of AMORC at [[San Jose, California]]. Supposedly, the San Jose ___location was chosen because of the affordability of the land back then.<ref name="kqed why" /> After Lewis' tour in Egypt in 1929, AMORC received many more artifacts and donations, and as a result the collection grew significantly, with more than 2000 exhibits.

In [[1995]] [[Julie Scott]], M.A., S.R.C., moved to San Jose and became Director of the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum.

The second Imperator of AMORC, [[Ralph Maxwell Lewis]], son of H. Spencer Lewis, built new buildings for the museum, which opened in November 1966.<ref>{{cite web |last=Blaine |first=Adrienne |title=San Jose's Egyptian Museum Vibes off its Secret Society Roots |url=https://www.kqed.org/arts/10669130/san-joses-egyptian-museum-still-magically-mesmerising |website=KQED |date=June 30, 2015 |access-date=2024-06-24}}</ref>

A notable activity took place in [[1999]] when the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum started the travelling exhibition "Women of the Nile" accompanied by lots of lectures. "Women of the Nile" travelled across the [[United States of America]] and [[Canada]], and continued until [[2001]]. In [[2000]]-[[2002]] a stone figure of [[Cleopatra VII]] travelled in [[Rome]], [[London]] and [[Chicago]] in similar exhibitions.

By that time the museum was unique in:

Visitors to the museum will notice [[Taweret]] at the entrance, the Ancient Egyptian hippopotamus-like goddess of pregnant women and childbirth.

* Having the largest exhibition of Ancient Egyptian antiquities in the Western US.<ref name="atlas obscura" />

* Being the only such museum in the world with buildings constructed in Ancient Egyptian architectural style.

* Having a purpose-built [[planetarium]] adjacent to the museum, the fifth opened in the United States, and the first with a Star Projector built in the country, constructed by H. Spencer Lewis.

* Having its buildings set in an [[Egyptian Revival]] park.

In 1995, Julie Scott, M.A., S.R.C., who is a practicing Rosicrucian,<ref name="kqed why" /> became director of the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum.

[[Rosicrucian Order, AMORC]] continues to support and expand the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum and its educational and scientific activities.

<gallery widths="200" heights="200">

File:Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum grounds 2.JPG|Rosicrucian Museum grounds

File:Rosicrucian_Egyptian_Museum_grounds2.jpg|Rosicrucian Museum grounds

File:Rosicrucian_Egyptian_Museum_grounds3.jpg|Rosicrucian Museum grounds

File:Rosicrucian_Egyptian_Museum_grounds4.jpg|Rosicrucian Museum sign

</gallery>

In 2017, the museum was claiming 110,000 visitors per year, including 26,000 sixth-graders. The building is also used by the Rosicrucians for meditation and group discussions.<ref name="kqed why" /> In 2018, the museum became a [[zero-energy building]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Bertoli |first=Andrea |title=Mynt Systems' Cost Effective Net Zero Carbon Retrofit |url=https://cleantechnica.com/2018/03/07/mynt-systems-inc-cost-effective-net-zero-carbon-retrofit%E2%80%A8/ |website=CleanTechnica |date=March 7, 2018 |access-date=2024-06-24}}</ref>

==Notable exhibits==

A notable activity took place in 1999 when the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum started the traveling exhibition "Women of the Nile" accompanied by many lectures. "Women of the Nile" travelled across the United States of America and Canada, and continued until 2001. From 2000 to 2002, a stone figure from the collection of [[Cleopatra VII]] was displayed in Rome, London, and Chicago in similar exhibitions.

The Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum's child [[mummy]] traveled to [[Stanford University]] in nearby [[Palo Alto]] on May 6, 2005, to be studied under [[CT scans]] and other high-resolution methods of remote sensing, in a collaboration between the museum, [[Silicon Graphics]], and [[Stanford University]] Hospital and the [[NASA]] Biocomputational Lab. The results were released at the 75th Anniversary of the Museum on August 6, 2005, with detailed scans.<ref>{{cite web |last=Lemonick |first=Michael D. |title=Secrets of a 2,000-Year-Old Child |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050907124212/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1090898,00.html |website=Time |date=August 8, 2005 |access-date=2024-06-24}}</ref> One of the scanning images won the Science and Engineering Visualization Challenge 2006 co-sponsored by the [[National Science Foundation]] and ''[[Science (journal)|Science]]''.<ref>{{cite web |title=2006 Winners |url=https://www.nsf.gov/news/special_reports/scivis/vizzies_winners_2006.jsp |website=National Science Foundation |access-date=2024-06-24}}</ref> In November 2017, x-ray images of the mummy were released that provide a 3D visualization of the girl's remains.<ref>{{cite web |last=Hugo |first=Kristin |title=2,000-year-old ancient child mummy revealed in incredible detail through 3D scanning technology |url=http://www.newsweek.com/2000-year-old-ancient-egyptian-child-mummy-revealed-incredible-detail-through-701025 |website=Newsweek |date=November 3, 2017 |access-date=2024-06-24}}</ref>

A statue of [[Taweret]], the ancient Egyptian [[hippopotamus]]-like [[ancient Egyptian deities|goddess]] of pregnant women and childbirth, once stood at the entrance, but has been moved to the side. Since 2004, the Museum has been completely renovated, with the following Gallery themes:

* [[Afterlife]] and Rock Cut Tomb

* Daily Life and Other Cultures

* [[Kingship]] and [[Palace]]

* [[Temple]] ([[Sekhmet]]) and [[Akhenaten]]'s [[Amarna]] period

* Rotating Exhibits: Since 2015: The Rosicrucian Alchemy Exhibit

<gallery widths="200" heights="200">

File:Mummy-UpperClassEgyptianMale-SaitePeriod RosicrucianMuseum.png|An upper-class Egyptian male, often referred as "[[Usermontu (mummy)|Usermontu]]"

File:Early 18th dynasty coffin REM RC 1678 1.JPG|Early 18th dynasty coffin

File:Baboon mummy at Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum.JPG|Baboon mummy. There is in fact no baboon inside; the mummy is formed around a ceramic jar.

</gallery>

The museum also holds a 1.5 million-year-old stone hand ax, but it is not exhibited to the public.<ref>{{cite web |last=Yadegaran |first=Jessica |title=Date Night: Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum, San Jose |url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2014/02/21/date-night-rosicrucian-egyptian-museum-san-jose/ |website=The Mercury News |date=February 21, 2014 |access-date=2024-06-24}}</ref>

===Rock-cut tomb replica===

{{Unreferenced section|date=July 2018}}

The Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum contains a composite replica of an ancient Egyptian [[rock-cut tomb]], based on photos and sketches taken by Rosicrucian expeditions to tombs at [[Beni Hasan]], to give guests the experience of being in such an excavation. Below are photographs of the interior of the replica tomb, largely containing scenes from the ''[[Book of the Dead]]''. The dark interior of the tomb replica is evident.

<gallery widths="200" heights="200">

Image:Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum 1.jpg

Image:Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum 2.jpg

Image:Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum 3.jpg

Image:Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum 4.jpg

Image:Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum 5.jpg

Image:Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum 6.jpg

Image:Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum 7.jpg

File:Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum 11.JPG

File:Rock cut tomb.JPG

</gallery>

===The Rosicrucian Alchemy Exhibit===

{{Unreferenced section|date=July 2018}}

Beginning in 2015, for the 100th Anniversary of the incorporation of AMORC in America, which owns and operates the Museum, the museum's Rotating Exhibits Gallery became The Rosicrucian [[Alchemy]] Exhibit. The highlights of the collection were put on display in this exhibit.

This exhibit, curated by the alchemist Dennis William Hauck, features a journey through the seven stages of the alchemical process, a meditation chamber featuring the [[Azoth|Azoth of the Philosophers]] and a recorded guided meditation, and a full-size reproduction of an alchemist's workshop. There is also a reproduction of the [[George Ripley (alchemist)|Ripley Scroll]] with illustrative commentary.

The Exhibit forms the kernel of what will be the first alchemy museum in the United States, and the largest in the world. It will be housed in the present "Rose-Croix University International" building at [[Rosicrucian Park]]. The RCUI Building also contains a working alchemy lab.

On June 22, 2024, the museum unveiled the Thoth AI, a fully integrated artificial intelligence persona modeled after the ancient Egyptian god Thoth. This innovative addition enhances the educational experience by providing interactive guidance and insights, bridging ancient wisdom with modern technology.<ref>{{cite web |last=Next |first=Anyextee |title=Thoth AI Unveiled at Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum: A New Era of Ancient Wisdom |url=https://anyextee.com/thoth-ai-unveiled-at-rosicrucian-egyptian-museum-a-new-era-of-ancient-wisdom/ |website=Anyextee.com |date=June 22, 2024 |access-date=2024-06-24}}</ref>

==See also==

* [[List of museums of Egyptian antiquities]]

* [[Ancient Mystical Order Rosae Crucis|AMORC]]

* [[Julie Scott]], past Director of the Rocicrucian Egyptian Museum

==References==

{{Reflist}}

==External links==

{{Commons category}}

* {{Official website|http://www.egyptianmuseum.org/}}

* [http://www.rosicrucianpark.org/alchemy-museum Rosicrucian Alchemy Exhibit Official website]

{{San Jose and Silicon Valley attractions}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Egyptian Revival architecture in the United States]]

==External link==

[[Category:Egyptological collections in the United States]]

* [http://www.egyptianmuseum.org/ Official Web Site]

[[Category:Museums in San Jose, California]]

[[Category:Archaeological museums in California]]

[[Category:Museums established in 1928]]

[[Category:1928 establishments in California]]

[[Category:Rosicrucianism]]

[[Category:Hermeticism]]

[[Category:AMORC]]