Presented by Fifth Third Bank, Mysteries of the Nile: Ancient Egypt features artifacts from the Royal Ontario Museum, the Tampa Museum of Art’s permanent collection, and local private collections.
TAMPA, Fla. (June 23, 2026) – The Tampa Museum of Art opens Mysteries of the Nile: Ancient Egypt, a landmark exhibition debuting with an exclusive member preview on June 24, 2026, followed by public admission beginning June 25, 2026. Presented by Fifth Third Bank and organized in partnership with the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto, Canada, the exhibition marks the first time an exhibition dedicated to the art and artifacts of ancient Egypt has been presented in the city of Tampa.
Basalt sculpture; Egypt; Modern Replica
On loan from the Sorvats-Trebor Collection (2002.005), IL.2025.017.012
Glass and gold jewelry; Egypt; Hellenistic Period, Ptolemaic Dynasty, ca. 300–30 ʙᴄᴇ.
Loaned to the Tampa Museum of Art from a private collection.
The exhibition brings together an exceptional selection of artifacts drawn from the Royal Ontario Museum’s world-renowned Egyptian holdings alongside select pieces from the Tampa Museum of Art’s own permanent collection and private collectors. Together, the works explore the Nile, pharaohs, gods, daily life, the afterlife, and thousands of years of ancient Egyptian history, immersing visitors in a single, extraordinary experience.
“Making world-class collections accessible to everyone is at the heart of what we do at the Tampa Museum of Art, and this partnership is one of the finest expressions of that mission,” said Tom Hochhausler, the Penny and Jeff Vinik Interim Executive Director of the Tampa Museum of Art. “Our recently renovated galleries now allow us to present these extraordinary artifacts alongside treasures from our own permanent collection in a way that simply wasn’t possible before. We are deeply grateful to the ROM for their generosity, vision, and trust in us as a collaborator.”
More than a third of the 117 objects featured in the exhibition will be on loan from the partner museum, offering a rich selection of artifacts that illuminate the lives and legacy of the ancient culture that thrived for over three and a half thousand years. The carefully curated exhibition will highlight the sculptures, decorative arts, and material culture that illuminate the importance of Egyptian artistic traditions and their enduring influence on modern art.
While other museums in the region have previously presented ancient Egyptian material, Mysteries of the Nile: Ancient Egypt marks the first exhibition of its kind in the city of Tampa, offering a truly unique cultural milestone for the community. The Tampa Museum of Art will be home to this exhibition for the next two years, giving visitors, students, families, and scholars the opportunity to connect deeply with the history and meaning of these remarkable artifacts. Fifth Third Bank’s support helps make the exhibition and its related educational programming accessible to the Tampa Bay community.
This exhibition has been made possible in part by the Tampa Museum of Art’s recent renovations supported by generous donors, which have opened new opportunities to present collections of this scale and significance in redesigned gallery spaces. Mysteries of the Nile: Ancient Egypt stands as a powerful reflection of that momentum, demonstrating the Museum’s capacity to bring exhibitions of international significance to the Tampa Bay community.
The Museum is currently in the midst of its Centennial Campaign, a comprehensive construction and endowment effort funding an ambitious expansion that will add more than 51,000 square feet of new space along the Tampa Riverwalk. The campaign is anchored by a $28 million lead gift from Dick Corbett, a Tampa real estate developer and philanthropist who has been a Museum patron for decades. His lead gift is the single largest private donation ever made to a public art museum in Florida.
The expansion will transform the Museum into a vibrant hub of art and culture along the Tampa Riverwalk. To date, more than $100 million in support has been provided by individuals, families, and corporations, as well as the City of Tampa, Hillsborough County, and the State of Florida.
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