Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum

Funerary mask of Pharoah Tutankhamun

Funerary mask of Pharoah Tutankhamun

Trip distance : 7.0 - 7.5 miles

Time to reach : 1 hr 9 min (walk | LRT | bus | walk), 40 min (cycle), 11 min (car)

Round trip cost : $8

About the Museum

Website : https://www.egyptianmuseum.org/

Address : 1660 Park Avenue, San Jose, CA 95191

Car parking availability and fee : Behind the museum (on Chapman Street). Parking is free.

Bike parking availability : None

Museum hours : Mon/Tues: Closed, Wed/Thurs/Fri: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM, Sat/Sun: 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM

Admission fee at the museum : $9

Context : One fine day, I decided to visit this museum. One, because I had been watching some documentaries on Netflix about the history of the Mesopotamian region (East to West). Second, because the museum came up in the nearby places I could explore. And finally, because I really needed to get out of the house.

Commute to the museum

  1. 10 minutes : I cycled to the River Oaks Station and parked the cycle at the eLocker. Read all about my experience with the eLocker here.

  2. 14 minutes : Fairly simple ride to the Civic Center Station.

  3. 1 minute : This was a bit tricky. To get to the correct bus stop. I had to walk around on the platform with the maps app running on the smart phone to get a hang on the direction. Turned out that the 1st & Mission bus stop was just across the road from the station. The other information that came in handy was that both the buses 61 and 62 went to my intended destination. Didnt have to wait for too long for the bus.

  4. 16 minutes : Alighted at the Naglee & Park bus stop.

  5. 1 minute : The museum is just across the road on the left side.

The Entrance to the museum

The Entrance to the museum

Inside the museum

It took me a while to figure out the layout of the museum. It is divided into sections that display the exhibits pertaining to the following about the Egyptian life and time:

  • Daily life and trade
  • Kings and palace
  • Gods and temples
  • Mummies, afterlife, and the rock-cut tomb

The museum provides an MP3 audio tour in each of the above sections and for many exhibits. That way you don’t always need a guide to show you around the museum. You can download it before you go to the museum. I had forgotten to get the MP3 with me and was practically on my own, reading everything. I did not switch on the audio in any section for the guilt of disturbing others around.

There is so much to read and learn about the Egyptian history. Am fascinated by their customs, religions, and after-life beliefs. I am still learning.

Here are some of the pics of the day.

An archaeologist gives a tour of the rock-cut tomb at around 3:00 PM. I also took a stroll in the Rosicrucian parks afterwards. I wish I had the time to visit the library and the temple as well. The whole place has a very calming effect.

Planetarium : The show about the story of the stars and the sun runs at 2:00 PM on weekdays (duration: 20 minutes). It is complimentary if you are visiting the museum. Though let me warn you, it is nothing like being in a planetarium. The movie projection is only on a smallish rectangular area. The planetarium is in the building adjacent to the museum. Cafes Around the Museum : I did not carry any snacks with me. Thankfully, there was a Starbucks nearby (on Naglee Avenue and Park Avenue). Grabbed a quick bite and returned to the museum. The ticket is valid for the entire day. Commute back : The exact reverse of how I reached here. I felt a sense of achievement as I retrieved my cycle from the eLocker.