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The Sutro Egyptian Collection consists of approximately 700 artifacts from ancient Egypt, spanning 5000 years, from Pre-Dynastic times through the Graeco-Roman period. Typical articles of everyday life, such as jewelry, pots headrests, and gaming pieces are represented, along with the superb, triple-nesting mummy set of Nes-Per-N-Nub, model boats, scarabs, figurines and many other unusual artifacts.
In
the 1880's Adolph Sutro, wealthy philanthropist and future mayor of San
Francisco, purchased this collection in Egypt. The collection was displayed
at the Sutro Baths from 1895 until 1966, when the Baths were slated for
destruction. Fortunately, the collection was rescued by Dr. Andreina Becker-Colonna,
Professor of Mediterranean Archaeology ar San Francisco State University,
who persuaded the owner of the baths, George K. Whitney, Jr., to donate
it to the university. Mr. Whitney was enthusiastic about having the collection
used for teaching purposes, and the collection arrived at SFSU in 1972.
Yearly exhibits of the Sutro Egyptian Collection are mounted by Museum Studies and Classical Archaeology students, and artifacts from the collection are used extensively by Museum Studies Students in conservation and collections management courses. For more information about the collection and annual exhibits, please see the Exhibits & Projects page, or contact Marian Bernstein, Curator of the collection.