Closed Mondays

K-12 Archaeology Talk with Dr. Steve

The Sphinx That Moved to Philadelphia

Penn Museum: Rainey Auditorium

Tuesday, Apr. 23 2024, 11:00 am - 12:00 pm ET

$15 per person

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Sphinx replica in the snow.

Teachers and homeschool groups: Bring your students to an exciting talk with Stephen Phillips, Ph.D. Groups are welcome to take a self-guided tour of the Museum before or after the presentation. This program is best suited for students in grades 4–12. Due to limited availability, advance registration is required for this exceptional experience.

Learn how the largest sphinx in the Western Hemisphere came to Philadelphia and hear from a real archaeologist about its history and importance.

What is a sphinx? What did a sphinx represent in ancient Egyptian culture? How did a sphinx end up in Philadelphia? This workshop recounts the history of the Penn Museum sphinx—from its discovery in the early 20th century in Egypt, at the ancient capital city of Memphis, by the British archaeologist William Flinders Petrie, to its arduous journey from Egypt to Philadelphia. The workshop concludes with a look at the engineering and human effort involved in moving such a monumental and priceless object.

About the Speaker

Stephen “Dr. Steve” Phillips, Ph.D.

Stephen “Dr. Steve” Phillips, Ph.D.

Stephen “Dr. Steve” Phillips, Ph.D., is the Curatorial Research Coordinator in the Egyptian Section of the Penn Museum. He earned a B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. at the University of Pennsylvania in the field of biocultural anthropology.

24-04-23