The day has finally arrived! The Grand Egyptian Museum’s main artefact galleries and exhibit halls finally opened to the public on Wednesday, October 16th 2024. However, there are some very important caveats to be aware of with regards to this opening announcement.
At last, after many, many delays, for very differing reasons, The Grand Egyptian Museum IS OPEN! After enjoying a successful ‘soft opening’ phase since July 2024, The Gem is now fully open, albeit still being delivered thousands of artefacts and exhibits from the old museum. The fresh galleries and main halls are also still limited by numbers, for now. The ‘full reveal’ is due for completion by July 2025, with official full opening set for Thursday 3rd July 2025.
Grand Egyptian Musuem Highlights:
Visitors can expect:
• The full Tutankhamun collection, displayed together for the first time (from July 2025).
• Massive artefact halls, including the colossal statue of Ramses II at the entrance (from now).
• Interactive and digital exhibits, featuring augmented reality and virtual reconstructions of ancient Egyptian sites (some from now, all by July 2025).
• Panoramic views of the Pyramids, making it a visually stunning experience (from now).
• New tram, travellator and escalator public transport opportunities to travel from Pyramids to GEM (date TBC).
The Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza (GEM) has just finished enjoying offering tours to test site readiness and the visitor experience ahead of the official opening. Access was limited to the Grand Hall, Grand Staircase, commercial area and exterior gardens. All other interior spaces, including access to the galleries and collections, are now available. Thanks to our friends at The Egypt Travel Channel, you can check here for the current important information about what you can expect to see – and not see – within these newly opened main galleries.
The GEM Opening Hours:
Sunday to Thursday: 9AM – 6PM
Last ticket purchase: 4PM
Friday and Saturday: 9AM – 10PM
Last ticket purchase: 730PM
More details: The highly anticipated Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) is finally set to open its doors! This marks a landmark moment for the country and its unique ancient history. The museum has recently overseen a successful soft launch and now looks forward to (at last) a full opening. This includes the galleries and collections that so far have not been open to the public. As of July 2024, the Grand Hall, Grand Staircase, commercial area and exterior gardens have been open for tours. With the imminent full opening gathering at a pace, you can be among the first to experience this wonderful new addition to the museum world and an absolute must see for Egypt enthusiasts.
The GEM is located in Giza, Egypt, and will house over 100000 artefacts from ancient Egyptian civilization, including the complete Tutankhamun collection. It will be the world’s largest archaeological museum, with 81000m2 of floor space.
The GEM’s opening has been delayed by major events such as the Covid pandemic with the original estimated completion date set in 2013! Construction of this mega project began all the way back in 2005 and has overcome numerous challenges over the years, including environmental, financial and political hurdles.
This has been confirmed by the Minister of Tourism and Antiquities in Egypt. In an interview, he said that he “anticipates” the ‘soft’ opening to be complete shortly. Indeed, some lucky visitors (Simon Calder) have already enjoyed an insight. Read Simon’s super informative article HERE, where he suggests an important date in October that the museum will want to be open by.
Set outside of Cairo, the much anticipated new museum will house over 100,000 ancient artifacts, plus King Tut’s entire treasure collection.
Just over 20 years ago, the Egyptian Government decided to update the main Cairo Museum. They held an international competition for the design of a brand new museum near The Great Pyramids of Giza. Now, after decades of planning, one of the longest-awaited and most highly anticipated institutions in the world is getting ready for its christening.
The Great Egyptian Museum (GEM) has announced it will finally open its doors in 2024 and when it debuts, the complex will be home to the largest, most complex collection of ancient treasures and artefacts in the world.
Egypt’s Future, Preserving Egypt’s Past
Many years after the Grand Egyptian Museum construction started, the opening date is finally here. After many delays, the brand new Cairo Museum is due to open fully by very late 2024.
After making good progress, serious delays occurred during the Covid pandemic. Then at the start of 2021 it was announced that it will take “four to six months” in 2021 to install approximately 100,000 artefacts, including 3,000 from the tomb of Tutankhamun.
Construction of The GEM has taken many years so far, with the opening delayed several times. It was pushed back from late 2020 to 2021 and then 2022 in light of the coronavirus outbreak.
Egypt Transported 22 Mummies in Elaborate Parade to Celebrate New Museum in Cairo. Mummies, including Ramses II and Queen Hatshepsut, will now live at Egypt’s new National Museum of Egyptian Civilization. The mummies made their way through Cairo in an elaborate over the Easter weekend to celebrate their new resting place at the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization.
The “Pharoahs’ Golden Parade” — complete with performers, light displays, and a marching band — traveled from the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square to the new museum site, about three miles southeast.
The mummified remains of the 22 pharaohs, 18 kings and four queens, were transported in trucks decorated to look like the ancient boats that once carried the bodies of pharaohs to their tombs. The mummies had been packed inside a tube of nitrogen to protect them during transport.
“By doing it like this, with great pomp and circumstance, the mummies are getting their due,” Salima Ikram, an Egyptologist at the American University in Cairo, told Reuters. “These are the kings of Egypt, these are the pharaohs. And so, it is a way of showing respect.”
The journey across the city took approximately an hour. Roads along the Nile were shut down for the ceremony. When the mummies finally arrived at their new museum, they were greeted with a 21-gun salute.
Most of the mummies were from Egypt’s New Kingdom, which ruled from 1539 BC to 1075 BC, and included the famous rulers Ramses II and Queen Hatshepsut. The mummies were buried about 3,000 years ago in and around Egypt’s Valley of the Kings and were discovered during an excavation in the 19th century.
After excavation, the mummies were transported to Cairo by boats. According to Al Jazeera, Some were displayed for the public to see while others were privately stored. Now, 20 of the mummies will be on display at the brand new museum.
“Egypt’s gift to the world deserves a huge celebration,” said Moftah.
The museum, which is spread across 490000 square metres, has been designed by Dublin-based architects Heneghan Peng. “You could park a 747 inside,” said architect Roisin Heneghan.
It will boast panoramic views of the pyramids of Giza, and the largest artefact will be an enormous statue of Ramses the Great, located in the atrium. The grand staircase behind will house 87 statues of pharaohs and Egyptian gods.
In addition, the world’s largest archaeological museum will have 28 shops, ten restaurants, a conference centre and a cinema.
There will be around 100000 objects in the collection, and the star attraction will be all 5600 objects from the tomb of King Tutankhamun.
GEM will also feature Tutankhamun galleries and a replica of his tomb, although the galleries will be more than 60 times the size of the original tomb. Tutankhamun’s outer coffin will be on display, alongside his two inner coffins.
Moftah estimates that 2 to 3 million guests will visit GEM in its first year of opening, and in the longer-term up to 8 million a year.
The Grand Egyptian Museum has taken almost 20 years to create, from architectural competition to planned opening now late in 2024.
National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation opens fully to the public. Visitors browse exhibits at Egypt’s new National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation (NMEC) in the Fustat district of Old Cairo, after the museum opened fully to the public, the day after a procession of floats carried the mummified remains of 22 pharaohs passed through the capital to their new resting place at the museum.
Book a trip to see the new Cairo Museums and exhibits with Egypt Escapes Ultimate Egypt Experience tour.
***This blog was written on and from the perspective of 7th April 2021***Updated 6th February 2023***Updated 10th October 2023***Updated 20th March 2024***Updated 5th August 2024**Updated 2nd October 2024**Updated 17th October 2024**Updated 20th February 2025**Updates 6th March 2025.
