Egypt’s grand new museum finally fully open

Dawn Gibson-FawcettThe West Australian

Sat, 8 November 2025 10:09AM

An exhibit in the Grand Egyptian Museum. Credit: Supplied

More than 20 years in the making, the Grand Egyptian Museum lives up to its name. Everything here is on an epic scale. Neighbouring the last remaining wonder of the ancient world, the Pyramids of Giza, this modern wonder occupies a whopping 500,000sqm site and houses 100,000 artefacts which tell the stories of Egypt, from formidable Pharaohs and angry gods to enduringly fascinating afterlife beliefs. On Saturday, I was privileged to be among the first in the world to see the finished museum at its grand opening, which was attended by kings, world leaders, and dignitaries from around 60 countries. The ceremony had been painstakingly planned to maximise the “wow” factor.

One of the most moving moments was the sight of more than 150 musicians and artists from Egypt and around the world joining forces to perform a composition dedicated to peace by renowned Egyptian composer Hesham Nazih, a poignant message given the war just across the border. Once the dignitaries depart, Egypt hopes the new attraction will be a huge boost for a country heavily reliant on tourism. The museum is expected to attract up to 5 million visitors a year.

TUTANKHAMUN’S TREASURES The star attraction is, without question, the boy-king Tutankhamun’s glittering treasure trove of grave goods, displayed together for the first time since they were unearthed by British archaeologist Howard Carter in 1922. Tutankhamun reigned for just nine years around 1320 BCE, during Egypt’s New Kingdom, before dying in his late teens, possibly the result of a combination of malaria and a leg injury sustained in a chariot accident. However, the discovery of his tomb just over a century ago sparked a popular fascination with ancient Egyptian history and customs which has endured ever since. To capitalise on this fascination, Egyptian authorities had prudently kept the Tutankhamun Galleries tightly under wraps until the weekend’s official launch, even as other parts of the museum were gradually unveiled to the public through a series of soft openings over the past three years. Two expansive state-of-the-art halls are dedicated to showcasing some 5000 artefacts that tell the story of King Tut’s life and reign, his funeral and the elaborate preparations for his afterlife. Conservationists have painstakingly restored some of the key pieces, such as six chariots and three funeral beds, at a new giant underground restoration centre, before they have been carefully put into place alongside King Tut’s well-known gold funerary mask and elaborately adorned golden sarcophagus. Previously, tourists had to be content with seeing a much tinier selection of Tut’s treasures at the old Egyptian Museum in downtown Cairo, a beautiful but antiquated building without the display space to do the collection justice.

In comparison, visitors to the new gallery are immersed in Tutankhamun’s world through the narrative power of high-tech multimedia presentations and a series of spaces dedicated by theme: the lifestyle of a young pharaoh, his rebirth, his funeral, his identity, and the objects prepared for his afterlife.

The carefully considered design aesthetic is based around light and inspired by the path of the sun, the symbol of the eternal cycle of life, death and rebirth for ancient Egyptians. It’s a world away from the darkened rooms at the old museum. A 4600-YEAR-OLD BOAT Another must-see attraction is the world’s oldest intact ship, the reconstructed Khufu boat. The 43m-long vessel was found buried alongside the Great Pyramid of Giza, built by Pharaoh Khufu, and was intended for his use in the afterlife. You can also watch restorers at work reassembling a second solar boat in a glass-fronted laboratory. Other highlights include the six-storey grand central staircase, lined with colossal statues of gods, sarcophagi and temple pillars. as well as objects found during new excavations at Saqqara, an ancient necropolis about 45 minutes drive from Cairo and home to Egypt’s oldest pyramid. GUIDED TOURS Of course, there’s so much more to explore in a museum this size. If you like museums as much as I do, it’s easy to imagine getting lost here for a couple of days. However, if time is limited, book on to one of the highly informative 90-minute guided tours, which are offered in English several times a day. Even if you have more time for your visit, the tours are a great way to get to grips with the scope of the museum before you explore on your own.