GRAND EGYPTIAN MUSEUM FINALLY OPENS AFTER 20 YEARS
Almost nothing in Cairo's Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) has gone according to plan thus far. Funding concerns, logistical challenges, the pandemic, neighbouring wars, and several revolutions have all contributed to the numerous delays in scheduled openings since 2012. GEM was planning to open on July 2 as recently as last month, but the date was swiftly postponed because of regional conflicts between Israel and Iran. After almost two decades of building and growing excitement, the $1 billion museum will finally open in its entirety on November 1, 2025.
The expansive, 120-acre museum, which is only a mile from the famous pyramids of Giza, already grants visitors limited access to its collection of over 100,000 antiquities, including some 20,000 that have never been seen before. For starters, a 3,200-year-old statue of the Egyptian pharaoh Ramses II, standing at an astounding height of more than 30 feet, dominates GEM's entrance. The museum's main halls feature everything from a 3,100-year-old wig braided with human hair to a massive mummified crocodile, while the grand staircase is topped with floor-to-ceiling windows that dramatically frame the neighbouring pyramids. With items arranged both chronologically and thematically, GEM covers 7,000 years of history, from prehistory to the Roman era.
King Tutankhamun's tomb, whose contents will be shown in its entirety for the first time since their first discovery in 1922, will surely be the centre of attention at the museum. Among the tomb's almost 5,400 archaeological artefacts, visitors will find the king's golden funeral mask, chariots, jewels, and sarcophagi. The 103rd anniversary of the tomb's discovery will coincide with GEM's grand opening in November, when these pieces will be revealed.
GEM is entirely devoted to ancient Egyptian civilisations, as its name implies, and its architecture amply demonstrates this influence. While a pyramidal main entrance guides visitors into the large atrium, GEM's sleek exterior is peppered with hieroglyphic themes and angular shapes. A beautiful obelisk, situated on a raised granite base, is another element of the plaza that surrounds the museum. Additionally, GEM will house an education centre, a children's museum, and a library.
In a 2019 interview, GEM's Director General, Tarek Tawfik, told CNN, "This will be the museum of the 21st century." "Every aspect of contemporary technology has been considered to ensure that the visitor has a remarkable experience while also providing the finest possible habitat for the artefacts."