Assalamualaikum - The Grand Egyptian Museum with 50,000 Artifacts Opens at Last
Assalamualaikum - After about twenty years of waiting and many delays, the Grand Egyptian Museum is finally being revealed. The museum, opening officially this Saturday, showcases Egypt’s ancient civilization and is a central part of efforts to boost tourism, which brings in much-needed foreign income for the country. Sitting just outside Cairo near the Giza Pyramids, the $1 billion complex aims to be the world’s largest museum devoted to a single civilization, housing over 50,000 artifacts that tell the story of life in ancient Egypt. For comparison, the Louvre displays around 35,000 pieces.
The museum is one of the big projects promoted by President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi, who since 2014 has supported major infrastructure investments to help revive an economy weakened after years of stagnation and the unrest following the 2011 uprisings. Construction began in 2005 but paused for three years during the post-2011 turmoil. The opening was postponed several times, most recently in July because of conflicts in the region. World leaders are expected to attend the inauguration this Saturday.
The building, designed by the Irish firm Heneghan Peng Architects, features a striking triangular glass façade that echoes the nearby pyramids. In the entrance atrium sits the giant granite statue of the famed pharaoh Ramesses the Great - a 3,200-year-old, 11-meter-tall monument that was moved from a busy roundabout in front of Cairo’s main train station. From the atrium a grand six-story staircase lined with ancient statues leads up to the main galleries and offers views of the pyramids. A bridge connects the museum to the pyramids, allowing visitors to walk between them or use electric, eco-friendly vehicles.
The museum includes about 24,000 square meters of permanent exhibition space, a children’s museum, conference and educational facilities, a commercial area, and a large conservation center. Twelve main galleries, some of which opened last year, display antiquities from prehistoric times through the Roman era, arranged by period and theme. Many items were moved from the older, crowded Egyptian Museum in downtown Cairo, while others were recently excavated from sites like the Saqqara necropolis.
GEM’s halls use modern technology and multimedia presentations, including mixed-reality shows, to help younger generations connect with the past, according to Ahmed Ghoneim, the museum’s CEO. “We’re using the language that Gen Z uses now,” he said - using tech to explain history in ways that feel relevant.
An important highlight is the Tutankhamun collection: two halls will open showing about 5,000 objects from King Tut’s tomb together for the first time since their discovery in 1922. Thanks to the conservation center, many masterpieces were restored, including the boy king’s funeral beds and chariots, and his golden throne, sarcophagus and burial mask are on display.
Another centerpiece is the 4,600-year-old solar boat of King Khufu, the builder of the Great Pyramid. The 43-meter wooden boat, discovered in the 1950s, was moved into the museum on a remote-controlled vehicle in 2021.
The government hopes the museum will encourage tourists to stay longer and bring more foreign currency to support the economy. The tourism sector suffered after political turmoil and later the pandemic, as well as from reduced visitors due to conflicts. Still, a record 15.7 million people visited Egypt in 2024, and officials aim for 30 million by 2032. The area around the museum and pyramids has been upgraded with new roads and a metro station is being built near the gates to improve access. A new airport, Sphinx International, opened west of Cairo about 40 minutes from the museum.
Hassan Allam, CEO of the company running the museum, said they expect 15,000–20,000 visitors per day. “The world has been waiting… Everyone’s excited,” he said. May Allah bless efforts to preserve this part of human history and make it beneficial for people around the world.
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