Dedicated to four eras representing over 700,000 years of history, Cairo’s Grand Egyptian Museum is now open to the public, with 12 main galleries ready to offer unprecedented insight into one of the world’s most enigmatic civilizations.
Visitors to the Grand Egyptian Museum – located just outside Cairo, a mile north of the Great Pyramids of Giza – are greeted by a staggering 3,200-year-old statue of the Egyptian Pharaoh Rameses II, one of the first artefacts brought to the new museum in 2018. The statue leads the eye to an architectural marble aptly named the Grand Staircase, which rises six storeys high, offering direct views out to the pyramids, but that’s not all. The staircase is actually a monumental procession hall of sorts, with some of the most immaculately preserved statues of the rulers of ancient Egypt lined up alongside.
Overall, the Grand Egyptian Museum will present over 100,000 artefacts. The hope is, that then, the future aspirations of the country and its people, come into focus, too.
Poised to become one of the most significant cultural landmarks in the world, the Grand Egyptian Museum is now open partially. This state-of-the-art facility, located just outside Cairo, promises to offer an unparalleled experience by showcasing over 100,000 pharaonic artefacts, including the full Tutankhamun collection for the first time ever, with five thousand items being relocated from other museums across Egypt. Other standout exhibitions include a reconstructed Khufu ship otherwise known as a solar barque (vessels used by the sun god Ra).
One of the most fascinating destinations on the planet, Egypt has captured the imagination of a global audience for centuries. Its heady mix of legends, myths and fabled treasures is rivalled only by its monumental architecture: an awe-inspiring blend of ancient rituals, art, scientific prowess and a spell-binding Sphinx that continues to enthral even the most seasoned historians. And now, a modern wonder, The Grand Egyptian Museum, is set to shine the light on this land of the Pharaohs where the Pyramids continue to inspire modern legends. Far from being a mere repository of antiquities, it is slated to be a mirror to some of humanity’s greatest achievements – from paper to the 365 days calendar – and mysteries (cue Tutankhamen’s gilded death mask). As it gets ready for its big reveal, find out what makes this larger-than-life complex – already counted amongst the Middle East’s finest museums – simply unmissable.