UCL Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology co-hosts Curses! by Bompas & Parr

"Curses!", a new month-long installation by design agency Bompas & Parr and the UCL Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology exploring ancient rights, superstitions and science, opens this Saturday at UCL. Focused on the rituals and practices of Ancient Egypt, "Curses!" leads guests through an immersive experience designed to be informative and engaging while testing visitors' nerves and any scepticism they have about rituals and their power. Tapping into the subconscious and invoking ancient superstitious rites, visitors will be exposed to an assortment of "cursed" objects and stories involving curses, prior to "experiencing a curse" themselves in what Bompas & Parr have termed a "multi-sensory journey". Part of the rationale behind the installation is what Bompas & Parr believe to be an increasing level of superstition in the UK. They emphasise that, while modern-day superstitions like lucky numbers and "touching wood" are not considered as seriously as the "curse tales" told in Ancient Egypt, it is this latent and often unacknowledged sense of superstition that will be tapped into, explored, and tested during the exhibition. The UCL Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology hosts one of the greatest collections of Egyptian archaeology in the world. Equipped with a headset and a map, visitors will be encouraged to explore the museum's collection of more than 88,000 artefacts as they are guided towards specific objects and stories.