The lid is being lifted on the secrets of Ancient Egypt and Bolton's role in discovering them.

Bolton Museum staged its first Egypt Study Day recently to celebrate the borough's Greater Manchester Town of Culture status and its hugely important Egyptian collection, which has helped to understand an era that continues to intrigue and fascinate.

Now following its huge success, the museum will host another Egypt Study Day on September 7, 2024 due to the sell-out success of the first.

Bolton’s Egypt collection is the largest of its kind in a local authority museum in the UK and is where the famous “Unknown Man” mummy is displayed.

BBC and History Channel’s Prof Joann Fletcher is set to return after delivering a fascinating lecture as part of the 'All About Mummification' day.

She told The Bolton News that the town was 'incredibly lucky' to have the museum.

"It is an Egyptological jewel.

"It’s a world class collection the curators we have been working with for the last 35 years or so have been incredible.

"It's that wonderful magic mix of a fantastic collection with a wonderful history directly linked with the Egypt Exploration Society and because of the staff it’s a wonderful place to work

“Bolton has given us so much more in our understanding of Egyptian mummification it has the worlds oldest evidence for Egyptian mummification because it has been the centre of ancient textile research for over a century."

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She added: “It is a great place with great staff we just love Bolton, you can come here as a three-year-old and have a great time, and come as a 93-year-old and have a equally great time.

"People will never get tired of this collection because there is always something new to discover, it's phenomenal."

The second study day will feature fascinating lectures and practical workshops will be provided and hosted by expert Egyptologists.

There will be hands-on experience with ancient Egyptian artifacts, with highly knowledgeable insight from the curators and partners of Bolton’s Egyptology.

With burial textiles, featuring the work of the University of York’s Mummy Research Group, co-founders of the group, Professor Fletcher and Dr Stephen Buckley will be providing talks and workshops throughout the day.

This research group has studied aspects of the Bolton Egypt collection for over 35 years, making numerous discoveries, including the world’s oldest evidence for Egyptian mummification - based on the analysis of textiles in Bolton’s collection and the likely royal lineage of the “Unknown Man”, a mummified body housed within the Thutmose III burial chamber gallery.

Executive Cabinet Member for Culture, Cllr Nadeem Ayub said of Bolton’s Egypt: “Bolton Museum has a 140-year history of working with international experts in Egyptology and making this world-leading research accessible to the public.

“In this year, both the 140th Anniversary of Bolton Museums and Bolton’s year as Greater Manchester Town of Culture, we wanted to do something special.

“The study day is open to absolutely anyone with an interest in ancient Egypt, and you can get hands-on with real ancient material, learning direct from the experts.

“Bolton has an amazing collection that deserves to be accessed, and events like this are going to give access to ancient Egypt like nowhere else in the country.”

The Study Day will conclude with after-hours wine, nibbles, and chats with the experts in the Bolton’s Egypt galleries themselves.

To book tickets before they sell out, head to the Bolton Museum Shop, 1st Floor, Le Mans Crescent, or call 01204 332211.

You can also book tickets for just a single lecture to see Professor Joann Fletcher’s talk on “The History of Mummification” here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-history-of-mummification-with-prof-joann-fletcher-tickets-951372910987.