Egypt unveils world’s largest museum celebrating its ancient civilisation

Egypt inaugurated the long-delayed Grand Egyptian Museum on Saturday, the world’s largest museum dedicated to its ancient civilisation — a megaproject also aimed at boosting the country’s tourism industry and troubled economy.

Two decades in the making and located near the Giza Pyramids on the edge of Cairo, the museum showcases over 50,000 artefacts detailing life in ancient Egypt.

World leaders, including monarchs, heads of state and governments, attended the grand opening ceremony in the Egyptian capital, according to a statement from the presidency, which touted the museum as “an exceptional event in the history of human culture and civilisation”.

President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi said the museum would bring “together the genius of ancient Egyptians and the creativity of modern Egyptians, enhancing the world culture and art with a new landmark that would attract all those who cherish civilisation and knowledge”.

‘A symphony of humanity’

The museum is one of several megaprojects championed by el-Sissi since he took office in 2014, embarking on massive investments in infrastructure with the aim of reviving an economy weakened by decades of stagnation and battered by the unrest that followed the 2011 Arab Spring uprising.

A stage was built in the museum courtyard where an orchestra and musicians would later perform what the Egyptian media described as a “global symphony of humanity”. Security around Cairo was tightened ahead of the opening ceremony, with the government announcing Saturday would be a public holiday. The museum, which has been open for limited visits over the past few years, was closed for the final two-week preparations.

The government has revamped the area around the museum and the nearby Giza Plateau that holds the pyramids and the Sphinx. Roads were paved, and a metro station is being constructed outside the museum gates to improve access. An airport, Sphinx International Airport, has also opened west of Cairo, 40 minutes from the museum.

The $1 billion facility had faced multiple delays, with construction beginning in 2005 but interrupted due to political instability.

The museum, known as GEM, boasts a towering, triangular glass facade imitating the nearby pyramids, with 24,000 sq m (258,000 sq ft) of permanent exhibition space.

The museum’s 12 main galleries, which opened last year, exhibit antiquities spanning from prehistoric times to the Roman era, organised by era and by themes.