Fans of Egyptology and people planning a trip to Egypt sometime in the future are in for a treat because one of the most anticipated tourist attractions of the world is opening its doors soon. Egyptian Tourism and Antiquities Minister, Khaled Al-Anani has stated that the museum’s inauguration is going to take place by the end of 2020 with presidents and kings of many countries as attendees.
According to Khaled Al-Anani, it is going to be the largest archaeological museum in the world with a plethora of Egypt’s archaeological gems placed there such as the Tutankhamun mask and 50,000 artefacts from thousands of years ago. Within the permanent exhibition galleries, and under the approval of Maj. Gen. Atef Moftah, the General Director of the Grand Egyptian Museum Project, HSD has designed the Main Galleries which cover some 17.000m2 and feature an artefact-led journey. Engaging narratives are revealed and history is unpacked through the stories of people and events encapsulated within the artefacts.
Located just outside Cairo city centre, close to the Giza Plateau, Grand Museum is constructed on a slope with a 162-foot difference in levels between the entrance near Nile valley and the Giza plateau with the main galleries.
The museum park hosts many sculptures in the garden including a statue of Ramses II at the entrance of the main atrium. The staircase leading from the Nile valley to the Giza plateau is going to be lined with 87 statues of ancient Egyptian kings and gods.
The main galleries are divided into 4 timelines.
- Pre-Dynastic going as far as 3100 B.C and old kingdom
- Middle Kingdom
- New Kingdom (Tutankhamun, Ramses, and Co.)
- Greco-Roman
These galleries are further divided into unique sections:
- Power and Kingship: Rulers
- Eternity and beliefs: Religion
- The rest of the people: Society
Towards the end of the museum, there are enormous glass windows overlooking the great pyramids. An interesting aspect is the inclusion of a children’s museum within the museum, where several visual displays will be used to effectively explain Egypt’s history to young children.
Due to the financial instability faced by Egypt in the past decade, the Grand Museum is expected to inject some life into the economy of the country. The construction of the museum has rapidly added jobs for the local people. Not only that, the staffing of the museum will create further jobs for the locals after its opening. Following the opening of the museum, the country is expected to see a rise in tourists, adding more value to the economy through the tourism industry. Every tourism-related entity, such as hotels, souvenir shops, restaurants, and travel agencies will benefit from the museum.
The Grand Museum of Egypt has a promising future and is expected to become one of the best museums in the world boasting 100,000 relics and artefacts. There will be signs over each of the important artefact for the guests to understand what they are viewing. While the entire museum is built in a way to impress visitors, the greatest attraction is planned to be the exhibit devoted to King Tutankhamun, also known as King Tut.
There will be galleries dedicated to the lifestyle of King Tut, from his eating habits to how he dressed. These displays will allow the visitors to see first-hand his life in his palace and at the court.
The Grand Museum is expected to attract approximately five million tourists every year after its opening by the end of 2020.
Photography supplied by: Grand Egyptian Museum Project / hsd ltd
