Visiting Howard Carter’s House Museum in Luxor can be an interesting proposition, now that the highly publicized official opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum of Giza is once again highlighting the Tomb of Tutankhamun. In this post, we’ll tell you where this house is located and what’s inside, as it is so closely related to the distinguished British archaeologist.
Why Did Carter Have a House Here?
Howard Carter was born in London into a wealthy family. Feeling a deep inclination for Egyptology and demonstrating great talent and knowledge, he moved to Egypt to participate in various archaeological projects, first for the Egyptian Antiquities Service (EAS) and later for Lord Carnarvon.
This British nobleman acted as Carter’s patron and financed his work, especially that which led to the discovery of the Tomb of Tutankhamun in 1922: the best preserved in the entire Valley of the Kings, having remained intact for several millennia. A replica of it was also created in this enclosure.
That resounding success, which gave him worldwide fame, was actually the result of many years of on-site work, for which he needed a perfectly conditioned dwelling. Given the shortage of suitable housing on the west bank of Luxor, Carter decided to build one from scratch, with everything necessary for his work.
In the final stretch of his life, Carter returned to London, where he died, bequeathing his house to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, in gratitude for the help and funding that this institution also provided him. This, in turn, was donated to the Egyptian Antiquities Authority, conditioning it as a museum.
What Can be Seen in Howard Carter’s House Museum
Howard Carter’s House Museum is a place of enormous interest for archaeologists and Egyptologists, as it presents the genuine atmosphere in which this English pioneer developed in the first decades of the 20th century.
From the moment you enter through the door, the visit is a journey of more than a century back in time. After crossing a small vestibule-hall, you enter a small room decorated with reproductions of the drawings and works that Carter sold in Luxor in his time to earn a living when he did not have official or private support.
The kitchen (where the members of his service worked) and the dining room provide the most human and everyday touch of the house, while the guest room tells us about the visits he used to receive here. Carter’s bedroom also shows us his more private side, with a bed covered with a mosquito net and a hot water bag for the coldest nights.
The dome room acts as a large distributing space, where pieces related to Carter’s life are also exhibited, who personally dedicated himself to the design of his own house, although he probably had the advice of his friend, the architect George Somers Clarke.
But for many, the studio is the most interesting part of the house museum, with its desk, library and specialized work furniture. In the same way, his photographic studio also reveals his passion and knowledge for this technique, which was key to documenting his projects and to disseminating his work in the Valley of the Kings.
Practical Information for the Visit
If you are planning to visit Howard Carter’s House Museum in Luxor, here are the basic details for it:
- Hours: Monday to Sunday, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., without interruption
- Price: adults 220 EGP, students 110 EGP. In addition, Arab and Egyptian citizens have a reduced price: 10 EGP for adults and 5 EGP for students. Free for children under 6 years, disabled and over 60 years
We recommend confirming these practical details, as they may be subject to change, for example during Ramadan.
