The 2,700-year-old face of the ‘Maidstone Mummy’ is to be revealed as part of a joint project between the town’s museum and medical specialists.

Ta-Kesh, who died aged 14, has become a visitor favourite at the St Faith’s Street collection, which is the biggest in Kent and one of the best known in the South East.

Now, the museum is working with the Newnham Court-based Kent Institute of Medicine and Science (KIMS) and Liverpool John Moores University to conduct a CT scan and facial reconstruction to establish how she looked during her lifetime.

Known by a number of names, including The Lady of the House and daughter of god of the afterlife Osiris, Ta-Kesh made her way to England in the 1820s.

The news comes as £78,700 of Heritage Lottery funding was secured to put ancient Egyptian and Greek artefacts back on display in a new Ancient Civilisations Gallery next summer.

The museum, which is home to more than 660,000 items, will work with the Egyptology Department at the British Museum, the Petrie Museum at University College London and the Egypt Exploration Society to uncover the fascinating history behind the objects.

Lyn Palmer, public programming manager at the museum, said: “We are thrilled to have received the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and we look forward to transforming the Ancient Civilisations Gallery into a fantastic space that educates, informs and entertains.

“We’re also delighted to be working with the Kent Association for the Blind to ensure that development of the space will be optimised for visually impaired visitors, while Maidstone Borough Council will be funding a new lift and ramps to provide accessibility to the gallery and other galleries currently out of reach to less able visitors.”

Maidstone Museum, which is run by the borough council, is open Tuesday to Saturday from 10am to 5pm and on Sunday from 12pm to 4pm. Entry is free.