After two decades of planning and construction delays, the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM)—a colossal, $1 billion facility considered the largest archaeological installation in the world dedicated to a single culture—is finally opening its doors just one mile from the Pyramids of Giza.
The massive complex covers 470,000 square meters (over 5 million sq. ft.). Initially announced in 1992, construction didn’t begin until 2005, with certain sections opening in 2024 as originally planned.
Grand Egyptian Museum: A new home for ancient wonders
The GEM will house more than 50,000 artifacts, including several staggering exhibits:
- A colossal, 83-ton, 3,200-year-old statue of Ramesses II.
- A 4,500-year-old solar boat belonging to Khufu (Cheops), the Pharaoh credited with building the Great Pyramid.
The museum complex is vast, featuring 24,000 square meters of permanent exhibition space, a dedicated children’s museum, conference and educational facilities, a commercial zone, and a large conservation center.
Its 12 main halls, which began opening last year, exhibit antiquities spanning from the prehistoric to the Roman eras, meticulously organized by period and theme.
Many objects have been relocated from the century-old, often crowded, Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square, Cairo. Others are recent discoveries from ancient necropolises, including the Saqqara complex, located about 14 miles south of the new museum.
Bridging heritage and the digital age
The GEM’s leadership is focused on making the ancient heritage accessible to modern audiences. Ahmed Ghoneim, the museum’s CEO, emphasized the use of advanced technology:
“We are using the language that Generation Z uses,” Ghoneim stated. “Generation Z doesn’t use the labels that we read as seniors, and they would prefer to use technology.”
The halls incorporate cutting-edge technology and multimedia presentations, including mixed-reality displays, to blend the timeless legacy of ancient Egypt with 21st-century creativity.
“A gift from Egypt to the world”
The opening has been postponed several times, most recently in July due to conflicts in the Middle East, including the crisis in Gaza.
Now, the event is set to proceed, with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi expected to host global leaders at the opening ceremony. Leading up to the inauguration, dazzling fireworks were reportedly tested over the Giza Pyramids, which are connected to the museum by a new pedestrian walkway.
The GEM is part of a massive, long-term infrastructure drive in Egypt, which also includes a new subway system and an airport that became operational in 2020.
Beyond its role as a showcase of ancient heritage, the museum represents a strategic investment in cultural tourism. Following years of upheaval—including the 2011 Arab Spring uprising and the COVID-19 pandemic—Egypt’s tourism sector is surging. A record 15.7 million people visited Egypt in 2024, and the government aims to double that number by 2032.
The government is relying on the GEM to attract longer-staying tourists, which will provide crucial foreign currency to boost the economy. Hassan Allam, CEO of Hassan Allam Holding, which manages the museum, anticipates a high volume of traffic: “The world has been waiting… everyone is excited,” he said, expecting between 15,000 and 20,000 visitors per day.
Sherif Fathy, Egypt’s Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, proudly called the project:
“It is a gift from Egypt to the world, and we are proud to finally share it.”
