From 5 November 2026 to 30 January 2027, the Petrie Museum of Egyptian and Sudanese Archaeology in London hosts “Groundbreakers: Women in Archaeology”, a display highlighting the pioneering work of women archaeologists through the archives of the British International Research Institutes (BIRI) and the Petrie Museum’s collections.
A specially commissioned film ‘Nine Lives: the women who shaped archaeology’, will be shown alongside the display.
The display is based on “Women Transcending Boundaries”, a British Academy-supported online research project exploring over a century of scholarship, fieldwork and friendship across the BIRI network.
Two talks bring these stories to life:
- 9 November, 6–8pm: The Joy of Lists, Letters and Wills – Women in the Archives.
- 11 November, 6–8pm: A reading of A Thousand Miles Up the Nile
Both talks take place at UCL Institute of Archaeology, Gordon Square.
Full programme: https://www.beinghumanfestival.org/groundbreakers
Display details: https://www.beinghumanfestival.org/events/groundbreakers-women-archaeology-display
Groundbreakers’ is part of Being Human Festival, the UK’s national festival of the humanities, 5-14 November 2026.
