The Grand Egyptian Museum
The GEM, The largest archaeological museum
In an exceptional location on the Giza Plateau, the Grand Egyptian Museum is located in front of the Giza Pyramids, in a unique geometric configuration that took over 20 years to build, and the world is still waiting for the opening of its remaining parts and the display of King Tutankhamun's treasures, one hundred years after the discovery of his tomb.
The museum has an area of 500,000 meters, adorned with gardens from all directions (120,000 meters), and includes 12 exhibition halls, covering periods from prehistoric times to the end of the Roman era in Egypt.
The Grand Egyptian Museum project was recently awarded the international “Edge Advance” certification for certified green buildings by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a World Bank Group institution, as one of the Middle East's and Africa's first green museums.
This came after achieving energy conservation standards, the use of clean energy in construction, the installation of solar cells, and natural lighting and ventilation systems.
Why Is the Grand Egyptian Museum So Popular?
The Grand Egyptian Museum received eight ISO certificates in the fields of energy, occupational health and safety, environment and quality, as well as the award for the best project in the field of green construction.
It also received a gold certificate for green building and sustainability, according to the Egyptian Green Pyramid System, from the National Center for Housing and Building Research, ,making it one of the best Egypt Tours for visiting by tourists.
Dr. Zahi Hawass, former Minister of Antiquities, said in a statement that the GEM building has a unique engineering design, modern exhibition halls, and restoration laboratories that are among the largest in the world, and is designed to receive thousands of tourists every day.
What Makes the Grand Egyptian Museum Worth Visiting?
The Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) contains more than 60,000 artifacts dating back to the “pre-dynastic era,” the period before ancient Egyptian history, through the ancient, medieval, and modern eras, then the Greek and Roman periods. The massive statue of King Ramses II, which was relocated from its well-known Cairo square, Ramses Square, to the Grand Egyptian Museum's headquarters 20 years ago, is housed in the museum foyer.
Next is the Great Staircase, a 24 meter high by 64 meter long structure. There are sixty antiquities scattered around the Great Staircase's platforms, some of which weigh as much as 38 tons. These items include sculptures, columns, and gates. Occupying 7,000 square meters of the GEM's 40,000 square meter exhibition area are the relics of King Tutankhamun, which were found in his tomb on the West Bank of Luxor in 1922 by British scientist Howard Carter.
The entire 5,389-item collection of Tutankhamun is on display in one place for the first time. When Tutankhamun's items from the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir and the Luxor institution were transferred to the new museum in 2019, he was eager to put this vision into action as the institution's president from 2014 to 2019.
The GEM serves as a daily attraction which receives thousands of tourists, thus becoming one of Egypt's most vital tourist sites.
The site provides history enthusiasts and families and travelers who visit Giza and its surrounding pyramids with an extraordinary experience.
What are the opening hours?
Regular days: Galleries generally open around 9:00 AM and close around 6:00 PM, with the GEM complex open earlier and later on select days.
How do I buy tickets?
Tickets can be booked online via the official GEM ticketing site with selectable time slots.
Grand Egyptian Museum architecture plan
In 2002, Egypt announced an international design competition and laid the foundation stone for the project.
In 2003, Heneghan Peng Architects won the competition and was contracted to design the museum and complete its architectural plans.
The museum features a striking triangular façade.
Upon entering, visitors pass through a beautifully designed entrance decorated with alabaster and ancient hieroglyphs, which leads to the main hall where the impressive statue of King Ramses II stands as a welcoming monument.
The Grand Egyptian Museum stands as an essential attraction which provides visitors with a memorable experience that functions as an ideal half day Cairo tour for families and couples and historical explorers who wish to discover Egyptian attractions.
The Ministry for Tourism and Antiques began the transfer process to move archaeological artifacts from the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir to the New Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) during the last months of 2010.
The most special transferred pieces were Tutankhamun’s funerary Mask, the mummy, the inner gold sarcophagus, and his jewels. The other artifacts that were moved included the block statue of Queen Hetepheres, the Queen Nefertarti granite sculpture, the King Snusret I statue, and the solar boat of King Khufu.
The Grand Egyptian Museum offers an immersive digital show highlighting Egyptian civilization and the story of King Tutankhamun, using visual effects and sound to reveal ancient temples, treasures, and historical secrets. This award-winning experience is popular with visitors from around the world.
The museum also features guided experiences and educational tours for children, making it a great addition to Cairo Day Tours, especially for families looking to explore Egypt’s history in an engaging way, along with a visit to the museum’s gift shop.