Houston museum to display world's largest mummy exhibit

The Vanatu mummy is featured in the upcoming Mummies of the World Exhibit at the Houston Museum of Natural Science (Photo courtesy of the Houston Museum of Natural Science) The Vanatu mummy is featured in the upcoming Mummies of the World Exhibit at the Houston Museum of Natural Science (Photo courtesy of the Houston Museum of Natural Science) Image 1 of / 6 Caption Close Houston museum to display world's largest mummy exhibit 1 / 6 Back to Gallery

Starting Saturday, there will be lots more mummies at the museum as the "Mummies of the World" special exhibit opens, featuring the mummified remains of both humans and animals, some more than 4,000 years old.

It will be the largest exhibit of mummies in the world and features artifacts from 12 museums from around the world.

The exhibit tells the story of the mummies – and the mummification process – and gives visitors some insight into how scientists go about studying mummies by using tools such as radiocarbon dating, ancient DNA analysis and computed tomography.

Among the mummies that will be on display are an entire family from Hungary who likely died from tuberculosis. Also on display will be Nes-Hor, an Egyptian priest who suffered from arthritis and a broken hip, and several mummified animal and shrunken heads.

"This exhibition showcases a tremendous collection of real mummies from different parts of the world and different periods as well," Dirk Van Tuerenhout, the museum's curator of anthropology. "Our common humanity connects us; science helps us to get to know them better. That is what makes this show so amazing."