Papyrus Collection of the Austrian National Library, Ancient document museum at Hofburg Palace, Vienna, Austria.
The Papyrus Collection of the Austrian National Library in the Neue Burg wing displays more than 180,000 ancient objects from Egypt, Greece, and the Near East. The items include written papyri, mummy labels, inscriptions, and original documents from various ancient civilizations.
Archduke Rainer donated his private collection to Emperor Franz Joseph I in 1899, creating one of the world's most extensive papyrus collections. The collection was expanded over decades and now documents nearly three millennia of ancient written traditions.
The collection displays everyday writings from ancient Egypt: recipes, letters, agreements, and math exercises from different periods. These papers show how people organized their lives and what mattered to them back then.
The collection is located in the Neue Burg in central Vienna and is easily accessible by public transport. Visitors should allow plenty of time to explore the many exhibition areas thoroughly.
The collection houses the Egyptian Book of the Dead from the 15th century BC, one of the most famous ancient works. Alongside this remarkable manuscript, rare texts from the Greek and Roman world reveal the breadth of what is gathered here.
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