Peruvian Mummies Unravelled
3rd May 2008 to 2nd August 2008
This exhibition unravels the stories surrounding two of the mummies in Bolton Museum’s collection and aspects of Peruvian culture.
Most of the Peruvian objects in Bolton Museum were given by William Smithies, who worked in South America from 1896-1927. The exhibition explores his discoveries and how some of his collection came to this Museum.
Research recently carried out in conjunction with the University of York has revealed some important new evidence related to the Museum’s Peruvian mummies. Discover what studying the mummies has allowed us to uncover.
The Bolton Museum, Aquarium and Archive has a collection of human remains. This comes from many different countries and historical periods, and includes skeletal material, mummies, and forensic samples.
Working with human remains
The Museum is working to ensure that our policies and practices are in line with new legislation, and constitute best practice.
For more details please see our Human Remains Policy.
The Museum displays a number of human remains within its galleries. We recognise that human remains have a unique status within museums, and we strive to ensure that they are cared for and displayed in a respectful and appropriate manner. We pay particular attention to the context in which remains are displayed.
Human remains are currently displayed in the following galleries:
- Egyptian Gallery
- Up Close Gallery: Peruvian Mummies exhibition
Given the wide range of issues and sensitivities surrounding human remains, all questions relating to them (whether regarding display, access, or repatriation) are considered on a case-by-case basis.
For more information on human remains in the Museum, please contact:
Mathew Constantine
Senior Manager
Museum and Archives Collections
