When I travel for work, I like to squeeze in as many experiences as possible. Hey, I am here and I am technically retired. I might as well get a little adventure after consulting hours are over. This week I am in San Jose. A simple google search tells me that I am minutes away from the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum. According to the internet, it is the largest Egyptian collection on display in the U.S.. Who knew?

I have to explore, because this former history teacher retired from schools, but graduated to life experiences. A fifteen dollar fee grants me access to over 4,000 artifacts, a tour through a replica tomb and an interactive exhibit on alchemy. What a bargain!

There are mummies of people, pets, and sacrifices. Aphis bulls, cats, birds are all represented. There are idols and statues. Calendars and accounting tools in endless display cases. I wander through the trappings of religious and government power.

As always, when I encounter ancient artifact I realize that things have changed and yet things remain the same. I am very interested in the translations of tablets where the voices of everyday people make familiar complaints that would not be out of place in the modern world. Teenagers are recognizable in any language and era.

Other galleries feature furniture, clothing, jewelry, and cosmetics. I am reminded that “there is nothing new under the sun.” I leave thankful that I have a soft pillow instead of a wooden headrest. I am especially thankful that modern clothing is not transparent and that I am not expected to drape myself in heavy wigs and headbands. I do however see a few rings that I would happily add to my collection.

I watch families enjoying the galleries and think how important history is. A museum allows a form of time travel. The past is not quite as distant and cultures seem more similar with exposure to artifacts and translated text.

As I step out of the museum, I smile at the beautiful garden. I am thankful that stumbled onto this hidden treasure. Unexpected delights, tucked unobtrusively in an otherwise residential neighborhood. It always pays to be curious about the places you visit. Egypt in Cali…..who knew?