CAIRO, Nov 3 (Reuters) – Egypt has finally opened its long-awaited Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), a sprawling cultural complex near the Giza Pyramids designed to house one of the world’s richest collections of ancient artefacts. The inauguration marks the end of a two-decade construction journey delayed by political upheavals, the pandemic, and regional conflicts.
A global cultural showcase
Prime ministers, presidents, and royalty gathered in Cairo on Saturday to witness the grand opening ceremony. Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly described the project as “a gift from Egypt to the whole world from a country whose history goes back more than 7,000 years.”
The evening spectacle included dazzling drone light shows, fireworks, and performances by Egyptian pop artists and an international orchestra. Dancers in pharaonic-inspired costumes performed before a giant screen projecting images of the country’s most iconic archaeological sites.
President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said Egypt was “writing a new chapter in the story of this ancient nation’s present and future.” Distinguished guests included German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, and the crown princes of Oman and Bahrain.
Home to Tutankhamun’s treasures
The museum’s centrepiece is the complete collection of treasures from the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun, discovered in 1922. Among the artefacts are his golden burial mask, throne, sarcophagus, and thousands of other relics that have fascinated archaeologists for generations.
A massive statue of Ramses II now dominates the museum’s entry hall, having been relocated from its previous home in Cairo’s Ramses Square. The museum’s sleek, pyramid-inspired design contrasts sharply with the ageing neoclassical Egyptian Museum in downtown Cairo, which opened more than a century ago.
Restoring Egypt’s heritage image
The new complex aims to move beyond the controversies that dogged the old museum, which suffered theft and damage during Egypt’s 2011 uprising. One infamous incident occurred in 2014 when the beard of Tutankhamun’s burial mask broke off during maintenance and was hastily glued back on before being properly restored the following year.
Officials hope the GEM will restore Egypt’s reputation for cultural stewardship and strengthen its calls for the repatriation of artefacts held in foreign museums.
State-run Al-Ahram Weekly described the museum as “a philosophy as much as a building,” writing: “The GEM is not a replica of the Louvre or the British Museum. It is Egypt’s response to both. Those museums were born of empire; this one is born of authenticity.”
A $1 billion monument to national pride
Designed by Irish firm Heneghan Peng Architects, the $1 billion museum spans more than 120 acres, roughly the size of Vatican City. Much of the funding came from Japanese development loans.
Officials believe the museum, one of several mega-projects completed under Sisi’s leadership, will help revive tourism and boost foreign currency inflows. Tourism remains a cornerstone of Egypt’s economy, which has struggled amid regional wars and global financial uncertainty.
Although parts of the museum opened to limited visitors last year, the full collection is now ready to welcome the public, offering Egypt a powerful new showcase for its cultural legacy.
This news was originally published by Reuters.