After more than 10 years under construction, the museum has already begun to receive its first visitors.
The Grand Egyptian Museum of Antiquities is about to be officially opened. With the pyramids of Giza and an immense desert as a setting, this museum has already begun to receive its first limited visitors. Its construction began in 2012 and last November it began to host public events. Now they go a step further and for a few weeks they have also received guided tours for very limited groups. These are designed to test the facilities before their grand opening , which is announced for next summer but with no set date.
Tickets for these limited visits can be obtained on the museum’s website , but next to the purchase menu there is a message that warns us that it will only be possible to visit the hall, a large room, the gardens, the commercial area and the center of conventions. Access to the galleries and exhibition halls is restricted until the official opening.
This great museum is located just two kilometers from the pyramids of Giza, and its objective is to replace the old museum located in the center of Cairo, which has become too small for the demand of tourists. In fact, once it officially opens, it will become the largest museum in the world. Those responsible have announced that within its walls they will house more than 50,000 pieces from ancient Egypt , of which more than 20,000 will be exhibited to the public for the first time. In fact, two entire galleries will be dedicated to the collection from King Tutankhamun ‘s tomb . In addition, the facilities will also have temporary exhibitions, a children’s museum, a library, a cinema, an auditorium, a conference center and various workshops.
Both the country’s authorities and those responsible for the museum assure that it is practically ready for its grand opening , which they intend to turn into a great event to make it known to the world. However, they clarify that they are looking for the most appropriate moment. In addition, the inauguration of this museum comes at a key moment for the country, which seeks to relaunch its tourism industry, which has been diminished by the pandemic crisis and the war in Ukraine.
Until then, tourists will have to settle for a small visit as an appetizer or contemplate its spectacular exterior façade, which boasts a large number of hieroglyphs with the names of some of the best-known pharaohs. In its large entrance hall, a 12-meter statue of Ramses II welcomes visitors. In addition, this room has a peculiarity, since it has a hole in the ceiling so that the sun’s rays illuminate the face of the giant pharaoh.
Booking.com
