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  Entrances to the Grand Egyptian Museum | |
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| Established | Groundbreaking: 2002 Construction: 2005–2023 Inauguration: 2025 |
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| Location | Giza,Egypt |
| Coordinates | 29°59′42″N31°07′09″E / 29.9950°N 31.1193°E /29.9950; 31.1193 |
| Type | Archaeology museum,history museum |
| Collection size | Over 100,000[1] |
| Visitors | 19,000 daily[2] |
| Director | Ahmed Ghoneim |
| Architect | Róisín Heneghan Shi-Fu Peng |
| Public transit access | Cairo MetroLine 4, Pyramids Station (under construction) |
| Website | gem |
TheGrand Egyptian Museum (GEM;Egyptian Arabic:المتحف المصري الكبيرal-Matḥaf al-Miṣriyy al-Kabir) is a nationalarchaeological museum inGiza, Egypt. Dedicated toAncient Egypt and its culture, society, and artifacts, the GEM is the largest museum in the world for a single civilization.[3][4]
Located about 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) from theGiza Pyramid Complex, the museum houses a collection of Egyptian artifacts from various periods of Egyptian civilization, from thePredynastic Period toRoman Egypt. There are an estimated total of over 100,000 artifacts,[5] including at least 20,000 that were displayed for the first time ever, such as the complete KingTutankhamun collection comprising 5,398 pieces, on display in a 7,500 m2 (81,000 ft2) section of the museum.[6][7] Some newly-restored pieces will be displayed for the first time, such as the second solar ship ofKhufu,[8] the collection ofQueen Hetepheres (mother of KingKhufu),[9] and the collection ofYuya andThuya (parents ofQueen Tiye).
The museum covers a total area of 500,000 m2 (5,400,000 ft2),[10][11] with a built-up area of 167,000 m2 (1,800,000 ft2)[12] and floor area of 81,000 m2 (870,000 ft2).[13] It will also host permanent exhibition galleries, temporary exhibitions, special exhibitions, a children's museum, and virtual and large-format screens with a total floor area of 32,000 m2 (340,000 ft2). The GEM was first announced in 1992,[3] actual construction began in 2005,[14] and it was fully completed in 2023[15] at a cost of $1.2 billion.[16] Trial opening began in October 2024, and the official opening took place on 1 November 2025.[17] The museum was built by a joint venture of EgyptianOrascom Construction and the BelgianBESIX Group.[18]
The Grand Egyptian Museum concept originated in the early 1990s withFarouk Hosni, who served asMinister of Culture from 1987 to 2011. According to Hosni, theEgyptian Museum inTahrir had become old-fashioned and "Every time I visited the museum it gave me headaches and depression and its restoration was a disaster".[19]
The project was officially launched by the government in 1992 under PresidentHosni Mubarak, who announced plans to build a new museum to house a larger collection of artifacts and to consolidate ancient treasures. In 2002, the foundation stone for the project was laid,[20] and in 2005 the actual construction work began.[21]
The Grand Egyptian Museum's opening has been postponed several times:
On 6 August 2025, Prime MinisterMostafa Madbouly announced that PresidentAbdel Fattah el-Sisi had agreed to set the GEM's opening date for 1 November,[34][17] though it was temporarily closed from 15 October to 3 November 2025, inclusive. The museum resumed receiving visitors during official working hours on 4 November, the 103rd anniversary of thediscovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun.[35]
The GEM was fully inaugurated on 1 November 2025. The opening ceremony was attended by Egyptian presidentAbdel Fatah El-Sisi, theFirst Lady of Egypt, as well as representatives of foreign countries and prominent public figures such asKing Philippe of Belgium,King Felipe VI of Spain,Prince Albert II of Monaco,Queen Rania of Jordan,Queen Mary of Denmark, formerGrand-Duke Henri of Luxembourg, German PresidentFrank-Walter Steinmeier, Portuguese presidentMarcelo Rebelo de Sousa, Greek Prime MinisterKyriakos Mitsotakis, Hungarian Prime MinisterViktor Orbán and others.[citation needed]
Since October 2024, the museum has welcomed approximately 1.5 million visitors over 10 months, averaging 4,000 per day during the trial opening.[36]
The museum received 18,000 visitors on its first day after its official opening to the public.[37][38]
The museum contains more than 100,000 artifacts distributed across 12 main permanent exhibition halls, as well as several other important halls.
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The Atrium (Great Hall) of the Grand Egyptian Museum is the main entrance hall, spanning 10,000 square meters. Designed with a glass roof and a transparent façade, theGiza Pyramids are visible from inside.
It houses the statue of PharaohRamesses II (11 meters, 83 t (183,000 lb)) and 20–30 large artifacts from different eras, making it an introductory exhibition. The Grand Staircase connects the 12 main exhibition halls. The statue was moved from Ramses Square inCairo to its location (GEM) in 2006 and placed in the Grand Hall (Atrium) in 2018.[39]
The staircase serves as a transitional gallery with more than 60 artifacts, leading to the 12 halls. Spanning 6,000 m2 (65,000 ft2), the structure stands six stories tall (approximately 50 m (160 ft)), connecting the main lobby (atrium), temporary exhibition halls, and the main archaeological storeroom to the upper terrace, offering another view of the Giza Pyramids.[40]
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It contains more than 60 artifacts, arranged in four thematic sections that represent a chronological journey (Royal Image: focuses on how and why pharaohs portrayed themselves, with royal statues; Divine Houses: on temples and the relationship between gods and pharaohs, with religious artwork; Gods & Kings: explores ancient Egyptian deities and their association with rulers; Funerary Section: displays stone coffins and sarcophagi from various eras, including a hermione (pyramid head) from the 13th Dynasty.
The exhibits cover about one-third of the total museum's 50 ha (5,400,000 ft2) grounds, displaying over 24,000 artefacts in 12 galleries arranged by time period (c. 3100 BCE – 400 CE). The artefacts were relocated from storage and museums inCairo,Luxor,Minya,Sohag,Assiut,Beni Suef,Faiyum, theNile Delta, andAlexandria.[41][42]
Halls 1–3 cover the prehistoric eras, the pre-dynastic eras, the early dynastic era, theOld Kingdom era, and the era of the first transition. 4–6 cover theMiddle Kingdom and the Second Transition. 7–9 address the era of theNew Kingdom. Halls 10 through 12 cover the Third Transition, the Late Period, and theRoman andGreek Periods of Egypt.
Two of the twelve halls are dedicated exclusively to the display of 5,398 artifacts belonging to KingTutankhamun, the pharaoh of the Eighteenth Dynasty (ruled ca. 1332–1323 BC). This is the first time the entire collection has been displayed in one place, unlike the partial display at the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square previously. These two halls cover 7,000 square meters.[43][44]
The central piece is the goldenMask of Tutankhamun. There are three overlapping coffins, one made of gold (110 kg)[45] and two of gold-plated wood. The Golden Throne is a chair covered in gold and silver, showing scenes of Tutankhamun and his wife, Ankhesenamun. There are statues of gods such as Anubis, as well as amulets and jewellery such as necklaces and rings. Daily tools include weapons (daggers, bows), furniture (beds, chairs), and dining utensils. There areushabti: small statues or figurines that were used in the afterlife to serve the king.[46]
Tutankhamun's mummy will remain in the Valley of the Kings and will not be moved.[47]
The halls are designed similarly to the originalTomb of Tutankhamun in the Valley of the Kings. Environmental control systems (such as temperature and humidity control) protect sensitive pieces, especially those made of gold, wood, and fabric.[48]
The Khufu Ships Museum is a separate hall dedicated to displaying the two solar boats of King Khufu (the builder of the Great Pyramid), which are among the oldest wooden ships ever discovered, dating to approximately 4,600 years ago.[49] Included is an interactive display explaining their proposed purpose(s) (perhaps to transport the king into the afterlife or his travels with the sun god Ra). It was transferred from the oldGiza Solar boat museum in August 2021.[50]
The Children's Museum at GEM is an interactive space for children aged 6 to 12, emphasizing learning through play rather than traditional exhibits. It covers 5,000 square meters and offers experiences including interactive screens,Augmented reality (AR), and hands-on games, along with various visual exhibits and guided programs. It has been partially open since August 2024.[51]
The Grand Egyptian Museum's Conference Center is designed to serve as an international hub for communication between museums and cultural institutions. It aims to host conferences, seminars, and educational events related to ancient Egyptian civilization and archaeology.
It covers a total area of 40,000 m2 (430,000 ft2), divided into multi-use areas. It includes a main auditorium with a capacity of 1,000 seats, three seminar halls with a capacity of 250 seats each, exhibition spaces, meeting rooms, a business center, and a press room. There is also a 250-seat 3D theater. The design is inspired by ancient Pharaonic sites.[52] Located within the main complex, it is accessible via the main atrium, with accessibility facilities for the disabled, including elevators and rest areas.
Four Temporary Exhibition Halls are dedicated to the display of temporary artifacts or international exhibitions. These cover a total of 5,000 m2 (54,000 ft2). These are part of 32,000 m2 (340,000 ft2) dedicated to non-permanent displays.[53]
The Grand Egyptian Museum's Conservation Center is one of the largest conservation and restoration centers in the world and the largest center for the restoration of antiquities in the Middle East. It was established in 2006 and opened in 2010.[53] It is located west of the museum and connected to it via a tunnel approximately 200 meters long. The center houses 19 laboratories, including those for the restoration of mummies, wood, stone, wall paintings, and metals, as well as laboratories for preventive conservation and scientific documentation. It also contains six storage rooms for preserving artifacts in controlled environmental conditions.[54]
The building design was decided by anarchitectural competition announced on 7 January 2002.[55] The organisers received 1,557 entries from 82 countries, making it the second largest architectural competition in history.[56] In the second stage of the competition, 20 entries submitted additional information on their designs. Judging was complete by 2 June 2003. The competition was won by architectsRóisín Heneghan and Shi-Fu Peng, and their companyHeneghan Peng Architects of Ireland; the prize was US$250,000.[57] Heneghan Peng,Buro Happold,Arup andACE Consulting Engineers (Moharram and Bakhoum) collaborated on the design of the building. The landscape and site masterplan was designed byWest 8; the exhibition masterplan,exhibition design, andmuseology was led byAtelier Brückner.[58] On 2 February 2010,Hill International announced thatEgypt's Ministry of Culture had signed a contract with a joint venture ofHill and EHAF Consulting Engineers to provide project management services during the design and construction of the Grand Egyptian Museum.[59]
The building's shape is achamfered triangle. It sits on a site 2 kilometres (1.2 miles) northwest of the pyramids, near a motorway interchange. The building's north and south walls line up directly with theGreat Pyramid of Khufu and thePyramid of Menkaure. The front of the museum includes a large plaza filled with date palms and afaçade made oftranslucentalabaster stone. Inside the main entrance is a largeatrium where large statues are exhibited.
The museum's facade is made of marble and glass, decorated with cartouches and ovals surrounding Egyptian hieroglyphs bearing the names of kings and queens.[60]
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On 10 June 2018, the museum's logo was revealed. The logo was designed by Tariq Atrissi.[61] The cost of the design amounted to 800,000 Egyptian pounds, which included the costs of designing the museum exhibition implemented by the German company Atelier Bruckner.[62]
The GEM's management structure includes the Board of Trustees, the Board of Directors, and the Museum's CEO and vice presidents.
The Board of Trustees is an oversight body responsible for approving the Museum Authority's policies and plans.[63] It consists of a 16-person council which sits for a term of 3 years. The composition, term length, and scope of work of the Board of Trustees are determined by thePresident of Egypt.[64]
The museum has hosted different artistic and cultural events and venues since its partial opening. On 20 January 2023, the first musical concert held in the museum was given by Egyptian sopranoFatma Said with the United Philharmonic Orchestra & Choir, conducted by Nader Abbassi.[65]
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