In 2017, I realised that there was an important conversation that wasn't happening.That’s where I started.
I grew up dreaming of becoming an Egyptologist from the age of thirteen. I never imagined that this fascination would eventually lead me to spend my career thinking about human remains in museums — and perhaps that is reassuring. I grew up in the western suburbs of Paris, where my passion for ancient Egypt began at the Louvre. I first interned there at fifteen, but it was later, working as a gallery attendant, that I became deeply aware of the power — and the unease — of museum displays. That experience set me on a different path.
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I left France at 19 to pursue my university studies in the UK, completing a BA in Ancient History and Egyptology at UCL, followed by an MA and a PhD in Museum Studies at the University of Leicester, and a postdoctoral fellowship at the Science Museum in London. Throughout my academic career, my research focused on Egyptian mummified bodies in museums: their histories, their display, and the ethical questions they raise.
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In 2017, I created Mummy Stories (this website!)
Iin 2019, I received the Future Leader Award from the University of Leicester for it!
In 2022, I published Mummified, my first book inspired by Mummy Stories
In 2022, I was elected a full Fellow of the Royal Historical Society
In 2023, I was awarded a Public Service Award for the University of Leicester for the scope of my museum work - the only person to receive two awards from the university!
In 2025, Mummified was sent to reprint as a paperback and my first book in French, Promenades égyptologiques, was published.
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Every degree, every project has been about more than research alone. I believe museums are not just about their stuff (see my other project, The Lyme Museum on this), but about people and their stories — about emotion, storytelling, and connection. My work is driven by a desire to make conversations about human remains accessible, emotional, and engaging for the public. What motivates me is the belief that museums can be places where scholarship and storytelling meet, and where audiences are invited not just to look, or to be taught, but to take part in reshaping big, complicated, sometimes contested topics. Through Mummy Stories, which I have run independently for nine years, I have collected nearly a hundred stories from around the world, hosted events and workshops, and consulted for museums and universities across the UK.
My work creates pathways for dialogue — shifting the conversation away from questions of “right or wrong” and toward deeper reflection, ethical awareness, and shared understanding.
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Listen to my podcasts
The ethics of
museum mummies
This episode is about mummies, museum ethics, and the dark history of how these human remains became common in museums worldwide.
Should mummies
be on display?
Angela Stienne explains how many Egyptian mummies ended up in European museums, and delves into current debates over how they should be displayed and treated.
The ethics of mummies
in museums
Why are there mummies in your museum? Should they be there? What are visitors getting out of an encounter with Egyptian remains? Is there an ethical way to display mummies?
Alongside my research and public work, I collaborate with museums and cultural institutions as a consultant, helping teams navigate complex and sensitive questions around human remains, ethics, display, and storytelling. I work closely with curators, leadership teams, and communication departments to think through not only what is being shown, but how and why. My approach is grounded, practical, and collaborative: creating space for reflection, sharpening language, and supporting institutions in making confident, considered decisions. Whether reviewing exhibitions, advising on interpretation, or facilitating internal discussions, my role is to help museums move forward with clarity — without fear, defensiveness, or simplistic answers.
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