Kelsey Museum Holds Egyptian Treasures

Next to the former U-M Administration Bldg. (now the Literature, Science and Arts Bldg.) sits a small, twostory stone building. In. contrast to the modern look of its neighbor, it seems quaint and old-fashioned, an effect heightened by the curiously antique style of lettering which spells out "Newberry Hall" near the top of 1he structure. It is one of the oldest ings on campus. The cornerstone was laid in 1888, and it was completed in 1901, at a cost of $40,000. Since $18,000 of this was a gift of a Detroit woman, the of the Students' Christian Association - was n a m e d Newberry Hall , in honor of her father, and carries the lettering of that name today, even though a newer Newber-ry Hall has been constructed next door, the Helen Newberry Residence Hall for women. i The Students' Christian Association moved out in 1929, the year of the stock I market crash, and the I inwasuseto house the I 'archaeological collections of 'Francis W. Kelsey, one of the U-M's more famous faculty members, whose collections of Egyptian artifacts go back to 1893. In 1953 the name of the building was formally changed (along with ownership, which passed from the association to the U-M) to Francis W. Kelsey Museum of Archaeology, and a small sign above the door so proclaims it now. Recently refurbished and repainted inside, and' in the process of updating all of its exhibits, the Kelsey Museum is a small, but excellent gallery of displays of Dynastie Egypt, Coptic Egypt, Islamic Egypt, and Roman Egypt. Many of the objects exhibited are owned by the U-M, but some are also on loan from the Metropolitan Museum oL Art. One of these exhibits, a real Egyptian mummy, partially unwrapped to show the technique of wrapping, and complete with mummy cas?, votive offerings, urns, and stone tomb walls, is a favorite of local school children, who tour the museum occasionally in. classes. The Kelsey, in fact, is usually called "The Mummy Museum" by kids, some of whom become regular visitors and come back again and again. The Kelsey is an excellent museum for children, say teachers, because it is small and they can abso.rb most of the exhibits in a reasonable time without feeling overwhelmed. Currently the last of the new exhibits is being leted. This will be material! f r o m the excavation a 1 1 Karanis, a Roman village inl Egypt, collected by the U-Mi in 1924-35. It includes an I exhibit of tiny toys used by children of the village. Open from 9-4, Monday I through Friday, to either the I general public or organized I groups who make 1 tions in ad vanee, the Kelsey I serves not only as a museum, I but also as a research unit I for students at the U-M I ested in archaeology, classicial study, or Egyptology. Restoration labs, shops, I photo lab, and storage space I for materials not currently on I exhibit are housed in the I basement and the second I floor. Dr. Theodore V. Buttrey, I chairman of the classicial I studies department, is I rent director of the museum. I ■■■■M B