Grand Egyptian Museum Opens Its Doors in Cairo

The Grand Egyptian Museum opens its doors near Cairo this week—a massive, $1 billion complex dedicated to the history of a single civilization, promising to become a new center for global cultural tourism. Located just one kilometer from the Giza pyramids, the museum occupies an impressive 470,000 square meters.

The idea for the museum was announced back in 1992, but construction began only in 2005. During nearly two decades of work, the opening was repeatedly postponed for various reasons. The latest delay occurred in July of this year due to conflicts in the Middle East. The museum will display over 50,000 unique artifacts. Visitors will have the opportunity to see the 83-ton, 3,200-year-old monument of Ramses II and the 4,500-year-old boat belonging to Pharaoh Khufu, credited with building the pyramids.

Most of the exhibits have been moved from the old museum in Tahrir Square, which has been in operation for about a century. Another part consists of recent finds discovered at the Saqqara necropolis. The complex includes 24,000 square meters of exhibition space, a children's museum, conference halls, a commercial area, and a modern restoration center. The 12 main halls, opened last year, feature exhibits from prehistoric times to the Roman era.

World leaders and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi will attend the grand opening ceremony. A newly built pedestrian walkway connects the pyramids to the museum. Egypt, Africa's second-largest economy, has high hopes for the museum, expecting further development of tourism. In 2024, the country welcomed a record 15.7 million visitors, and the government aims to double that number by 2032. The museum's management expects to receive 15-20 thousand visitors daily.