After years of anticipation and several delays, the Grand Egyptian Museum is set to open its doors. This museum, which celebrates Egypt’s ancient history, will officially open on Saturday and aims to boost the country’s tourism industry, a vital source of foreign currency.
Situated near the Giza Pyramids just outside Cairo, the expansive $1 billion museum will become the largest in the world dedicated to a single civilization, displaying over 50,000 artifacts from ancient Egypt. For comparison, the Louvre in Paris exhibits about 35,000 pieces.
President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi has promoted the museum as part of broader infrastructure investments intended to revive the economy, which has struggled in the years following the 2011 Arab Spring uprising. Construction started in 2005 but was paused for three years amid political turmoil after 2011.
The museum’s opening faced several postponements, the latest in July due to regional issues. Leaders from around the world are expected at the inauguration. Designed by Heneghan Peng Architects from Ireland, the building features a prominent triangular glass façade inspired by the nearby pyramids.
Visitors are greeted by a massive granite statue of Pharaoh Ramesses the Great, 11 meters tall and 3,200 years old, which was relocated from a lively roundabout in Cairo. From there, a six-story staircase lined with ancient statues leads to the main galleries, with views of the pyramids. A bridge connects the museum to the pyramids, accessible on foot or by eco-friendly electric vehicles.
The museum includes 24,000 square meters of permanent exhibition space, a children’s museum, conference rooms, educational facilities, a commercial area, and a large conservation center. Twelve main galleries, opened last year, display antiquities from prehistoric times to the Roman era, organized by historical periods and themes.
Many artifacts were brought from the crowded, 100-year-old Egyptian Museum in Cairo’s Tahrir Square, while others came from recent excavations like those at Saqqara. The museum uses modern technology, including multimedia and mixed-reality presentations, to engage visitors. Ahmed Ghoneim, the museum’s CEO, noted they are using technology familiar to younger generations.
Saturday’s opening will unveil two new halls for the 5,000-piece King Tutankhamun collection, marking the first time it will be completely displayed since its discovery by archaeologist Howard Carter in 1922 in Luxor. Previously, the original Egyptian Museum lacked space to display all the treasures together.
Restored items such as Tutankhamun’s funeral beds and chariots will be showcased alongside his golden throne and burial mask. The mask, once damaged and repaired in 2014, has since been restored by experts.
A significant exhibit is the 4,600-year-old solar boat of King Khufu, the builder of the Great Pyramid of Giza. This 43-meter wooden boat, discovered in the 1950s and intended for the afterlife, was relocated to the museum in 2021 using a high-tech vehicle from Belgium.
The government hopes the museum will draw more tourists, generating essential foreign currency. The tourism sector has experienced setbacks due to unrest and violence since the Arab Spring, but there are signs of recovery. The industry has begun rebounding from the coronavirus pandemic’s impact and Russia’s conflict with Ukraine, both of which are key tourist sources for Egypt.
In 2024, Egypt saw a record 15.7 million visitors, and the government aims to reach 30 million by 2032. The area around the museum and pyramids has been upgraded with new roads, a metro station in the works, and the nearby Sphinx International Airport, 40 minutes from the museum.
Hassan Allam, CEO of Hassan Allam Holding, which operates the museum, anticipates 15,000 to 20,000 daily visitors, expressing excitement for the long-awaited opening. The museum, offering spectacular views of the Giza Pyramids, brings the entire Tutankhamun collection together for the first time, aiming to rejuvenate tourism.
