Tea on the terrace takes the reader on a journey up and down the Nile with famous archaeologists and Egyptologists. Spending time with these fascinating men and women at their hotels and on their boats, the book reveals that a great deal of archaeological work took place away from field sites and museums.

Arriving in Alexandria, travellers such as Americans Theodore Davis, Emma Andrews and James Breasted. The book follows them on their journey, listening in on their conversations and observing their activities. Applying insights from social studies of science, it reveals that hotels in particular were crucial spaces for establishing careers, building and strengthening scientific networks, and generating and experimenting with new ideas.

Combining archaeological tourism with the history of Egyptology, Tea on the terrace takes the reader behind the scenes of familiar stories, showing Egyptologists' activities in a whole new light.