An immersive exhibition about Ramses II, Egypt's third king of the 19th Dynasty, is now open in London. The show, called "Ramses and the Pharaohs’ Gold," features 180 artifacts over 3,000 years old. It is located in a pop-up space at Battersea Power Station.
The exhibition includes virtual reality experiences. These transport visitors to 13th-century B.C.E. Egypt, when Ramses ruled for 66 years during the New Kingdom era. Many artifacts are on loan from Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities and are being shown in London for the first time.
Organizers describe Ramses as one of history's most iconic pharaohs. He was known for building many monuments, his military strategies, diplomacy, and having over 100 children. He is celebrated as a powerful warrior-king who helped define ancient Egyptian civilization.
We're a new kind of news feed.
Regular news is designed to drain you. We're a non-profit built to restore you. Every story we publish is scored for impact, progress, and hope.
Start Your News DetoxRamses' wooden coffin is the centerpiece of the exhibition. NEON / World Heritage Exhibitions
Treasures from Ancient Egypt
The exhibition displays statues of Ramses and an obelisk fragment with his name. The main attraction is the wooden coffin that once held Ramses’ mummy. It shows the pharaoh as Osiris, the Egyptian god of the afterlife.
Egyptians started mummifying their dead around 2600 B.C.E. By the end of the New Kingdom, this practice was common. Ramses’ mummy is in Cairo, but the London exhibition shows examples of mummified animals. These include cats, a lion cub, a mongoose, and even scarab beetles.
The head of a massive statue of Ramses NEON / World Heritage Exhibitions
The show also features items from other pharaohs. These include jewelry from Psusennes I's tomb and the restored coffin of Shoshenq II. Gold funerary masks of Psusennes’ general, Wendjebauendjed, and pharaoh Amenemope are also on display.
While the exhibition title mentions "Pharaohs’ Gold," the Telegraph notes that gold items are not abundant. However, when they appear, they are stunning. These include heavy necklaces, girdles, elaborate pendant earrings, and a carnelian-inlaid dagger, mostly belonging to princesses.
Other objects offer a glimpse into daily life in ancient Egypt. These include kohl pots for eye makeup, a princess’s ornate hand mirror, architectural models, and a fist carved from red jasper.
A gold-plated wooden mask from the coffin of Amenemope NEON / World Heritage Exhibitions
Immersive Experiences
The exhibition uses many multimedia elements. One virtual animation shows the Battle of Kadesh, fought between Ramses’ forces and the Hittites in 1275 B.C.E. This battle had no clear winner but led to the world’s earliest known peace treaty. Ramses and Hattusilis III, the Hittite king, signed it.
Visitors can also enjoy a unique virtual reality experience. They sit in motion-synced pods and wear goggles to travel to Abu Simbel. These are two massive temples Ramses built in southern Egypt. Queen Nefertari, Ramses’ first wife, guides them through this virtual tour.
The Telegraph describes the experience as "teen-friendly edutainment." It's made more fun by the virtual reality, which feels like virtual tourism with a fantasy ending.
Visitors can participate in a virtual reality tour of Abu Simbel. NEON / World Heritage Exhibitions
"Ramses and the Pharaohs’ Gold" first opened in Houston in 2021. It has since traveled to San Francisco, Paris, Sydney, Cologne, and Tokyo. This world tour happened as the Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza was being developed, which opened in late 2025.
Hisham El-Leithy, acting secretary-general of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities, sees the exhibition as an ambassador for Egypt. Officials hope the immersive show will encourage more people to visit Egypt in person.
The exhibition "Ramses and the Pharaohs’ Gold" is open at Battersea Power Station in London until May 31, 2026.
