Create Masr-Fel-Mathaf.md

Report on recent Masr Fel Mathaf

_pop-ups/Masr-Fel-Mathaf.md

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+---
+layout: pop-ups
+title: 'Masr Fel Mathaf - Egyptians in Cambridge at the Fitzwilliam'
+category: pop-ups
+date: 05-04-2024
+author: Sara Abed
+thumbnail: /images/news/9.jpg
+permalink: /pop-ups/Masr-Fel-Mathaf
+lat: 52.20027912941109
+lon:  0.11951306751526686
+images:
+  - 
+    image: news/1.jpg
+    caption: Families enjoying the pop-up museum
+  -
+    image: news/3.jpg
+    caption: Families enjoying the pop-up museum
+  -
+    image: news/2.jpg
+    caption: Children Egyptian gallery tour led by Rosanna Evans and Florencia Nannetti 
+  -
+    image: news/11.jpg
+    caption: ancient Egyptian replica carpentry tools, joints, and dog's coffin
+  -
+    image: news/16.jpg
+    caption: Parents Egyptian gallery tour lef by Helen Strudwick
+  -
+    image: news/21.jpg
+    caption: A discussion session with Masr Fel Mathaf participants 
+---
+
+Masr Fel Mathaf is a series of community engagement events that started in 2023, led by Helen 
+Strudwick and Sara Abed, to connect the Egyptian community in Cambridge with the ancient Egyptian collection
+at The Fitzwilliam Museum. The aim is to create a public space which offers accessibility,
+exchange, sharing, engagement and bridging the past with the present, as well as bringing people into a closer relationship with their 
+heritage. We believe that this is crucial for developing new interpretation and refreshing the displays of objects from the Egyptian
+collection, which would help provide a museum experience that is more genuine and closer to people.
+
+On 24th March, we planned our third Masr Fel Mathhaf event where we welcomed 
+family groups to The Fitzwilliam Museum, mostly Egyptians, but also Syrians and Lebanese. 
+They joined us from [Kalamna](https://kalamna.org/),
+which offers Arabic language community classes and connects families with their heritage through Arabic classes.
+
+The day started with a family activity, led by Helen Strudwick, Sara Abed and Tom Clarke (an intern who is working at the Museum 
+for three months), in which both the parents and the children participated. They tried using the replicas of ancient Egyptian carpentry tools, 
+and joints, assembling the replica coffin of a dog, making their own ancient Egypt brushes, painting, 
+and knowing more about ancient Egyptian woodwork making and panting techniques. They also had a chance to look at a new
+component of the pop-up museum: a recreation of an ancient model carpenters' workshop (made for the Museum by 
+[Dr Geoffrey Killen](https://egyptiancoffins.org/team/geoff-killen/), who is an expert in ancient Egyptian carpentry).
+
+We then split into two groups: Rosanna Evans and Florencia Nannetti from the Fitzwilliam's Learning Team,
+led a gallery tour in the Egyptian gallery for children, preceded by a papyrus activity,
+during which they learned more about papyrus making and how it is planted in Egypt. You can find out more about
+learning activities for young people and adults at The Fitzwilliam Museum [here](https://fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/learn-with-us).
+
+Meanwhile, the parents also enjoyed a tour in the Egyptian galleries led by Helen Strudwick,
+which highlighted the people of ancient Egypt, including craftsmen, workers and making techniques. 
+This was followed by a discussion, during which we invited participants to share their views on their museum experience.
+They gave very interesting suggestions and insights towards visitors experience in terms of
+interpretation, display and context. 
+
+After the children came back from their activities, all very excited, the Masr Fel Mathaf Egyptians 
+visit ended. 
+
+We received very positive feedback from the families, who are very keen to participate in more 
+similar events, especially those related to ancient Egypt, as they felt it would be an opportunity for them to learn more
+about their own history. They also expressed their interest to be part of the The Fitzwilliam 
+Museum community when it comes to suggestions regarding the possible redisplay of the Egyptian galleries. 
+
+We found their insights and views very interesting and we will be thinking about their ideas when we are in a position to move forward 
+towards the potential redisplay. It is clear that more of events are needed to bring in more Egyptian voices and to enable local Egyptians 
+to connect with a collection that is so relevant to them and in which they feel so much pride.
+
+
+