The Collection of Egyptian Art, counting nearly 4000 items, is one of the richest in its kind in Central Europe. It is unique among the other collections at the Museum of Fine Arts in that it holds objects which result from Hungarian excavation projects. At the beginning of the 20th century a Hungarian–Polish expedition carried out excavations in Central Egypt; in 1964 rescuing excavations took place in Nubia, accomplished by the aid of international collaboration; and then in 1983 the excavations at Theba also yielded a copious material. Several remarkable works of art, like the Statue of Crown Prince Sheshonq from the 9th century B.C., the 3rd-century B.C. Seated Cat, as well as the latest purchase, a 4000-year-old Magic Wand carved of a hippopotamus tusk, are on show in the permanent exhibition.

In the lower level, two spacious exhibition halls house the permanent exhibition of the Egyptian Collection currently on view, which is the third in the series of exhibitions that has provided visitors with a rich overview of the ancient culture of the Nile Valley, since the foundation of the collection.

The Egyptian exhibition will presumably be closed until February 2010.

An international research team organised by the Budapest Museum of Fine Arts will embark on an archaeological expedition of historical significance to a highly endangered site in Egypt. The eight-member expedition scheduled to leave in October set itself the objective of conducting archaeological, geodetic and magnetometric research on the sprawling archaeological site situated at the entrance of the Fajjum Oasis, next to the modern-day village of el-Lahun. 
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