Grand Egyptian Museum

The Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM; Arabic: المتحف المصري الكبير al-Matḥaf al-Miṣrī al-Kabīr) is a national archaeological museum in Giza Governorate, Egypt, dedicated to Ancient Egypt and its culture, society, and artifacts. Located approximately two kilometres from the Giza Pyramid Complex, it is the largest museum in the world devoted to a single civilization. The museum houses over 100,000 artifacts spanning from the Predynastic Period to Roman Egypt, including at least 20,000 objects never before displayed. Its holdings include the complete collection of King Tutankhamun, comprising 5,398 pieces. The museum officially opened on 1 November 2025 after more than two decades of construction, though it hosted trial visitors from October 2024.

The concept for the Grand Egyptian Museum originated in the early 1990s under Minister of Culture Farouk Hosni, who sought to replace the outdated Egyptian Museum in Tahrir, Cairo. A presidential decree officially launched the project in 1992 under President Hosni Mubarak. In 1993, an Italian-Egyptian feasibility study concluded that land near the Giza pyramids was suitable for the new museum. On 5 January 2002, Mubarak laid the foundation stone, and an international architectural competition was announced on 7 January 2002, attracting 1,557 entries from 82 countries, the second-largest architectural competition in history. The Irish firm Heneghan Peng Architects won in June 2003. Actual construction began in 2005, with excavation starting in 2009. The project faced numerous delays: the 2011 revolution and subsequent political instability, a fire near the entrance in April 2018, and the COVID-19 pandemic all pushed back completion. The estimated cost rose from an initial $550 million to over $1 billion, with financing including a $300 million loan from the Japan Bank for International Cooperation. The joint venture of Egyptian Orascom Construction and Belgian BESIX Group executed the building works. Trial operations began in October 2024 with 4,000 visitors, and the official inauguration followed on 1 November 2025, attended by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and numerous foreign heads of state including King Philippe of Belgium, King Felipe VI of Spain, and German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

The Grand Egyptian Museum's collection encompasses more than 100,000 artifacts distributed across 12 main permanent exhibition halls and additional important galleries. The chronological scope extends from the Predynastic Period through Roman Egypt. The collection is organized thematically across four major areas: the physical geography of Egypt and the Nile, daily life, the state and pharaoh, and Amarna art. A significant portion of the holdings were transferred from the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, which had been designed for only 5,000 objects but at times held over 150,000 pieces in inadequate conditions. Among the newly displayed material are at least 20,000 artifacts never previously exhibited, including restored pieces such as the second solar ship of Khufu, the collection of Queen Hetepheres (mother of King Khufu), and the collection of Yuya and Thuya, parents of Queen Tiye. The complete King Tutankhamun collection alone occupies a 7,500 square metre section.

The museum's signature holding is the complete collection of King Tutankhamun, totaling 5,398 pieces displayed across 7,500 square metres. The Grand Hall (Atrium) features the colossal 11-metre, 83-tonne statue of Ramesses II, which was transported from Cairo's Ramses Station to the Giza plateau on 25 August 2006 and installed during construction due to its size. The Atrium, spanning 10,000 square metres with a glass roof and transparent facade, presents 20 to 30 large artifacts from various eras as an introductory exhibition, with views of the Giza Pyramids visible from inside. Other notable newly restored and displayed works include the second solar boat of Khufu, the funerary collection of Queen Hetepheres, and the burial assemblage of Yuya and Thuya.

The Grand Egyptian Museum complex covers a total area of 500,000 square metres (50 hectares) with a built-up area of 167,000 square metres and a floor area of 81,000 square metres, making it the largest archaeological museum in the world by floor space. The museum site lies approximately two kilometres north-northwest of the Giza pyramids, within the Giza necropolis. The building was designed by Heneghan Peng Architects of Dublin, with exhibition design and scenography by Atelier Brückner of Stuttgart. The facade is constructed of translucent alabaster, and the central exhibition spaces are surrounded by a network of streets, squares, and bridges. The Grand Hall features a glass roof and transparent facade designed to frame views of the pyramids. The museum also incorporates 17 conservation laboratories that have operated since 2010, as well as space for temporary exhibitions, a children's museum, and virtual and large-format screening facilities totaling 32,000 square metres.

The Grand Egyptian Museum is located in Giza Governorate, Egypt, approximately two kilometres from the Giza Pyramid Complex. The museum is owned and operated as a national institution. Following trial openings that began in October 2024 and attracted approximately 1.5 million visitors over ten months at an average of 4,000 visitors per day, the museum officially opened to the public on 1 November 2025. On its first day of official operation, it received 18,000 visitors. The museum was temporarily closed from 15 October to 3 November 2025 before resuming regular hours on 4 November 2025, the 103rd anniversary of the discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb. The institution serves as the successor to the Egyptian Museum of Cairo (founded 1900) and functions as a flagship cultural institution intended to revitalize Egyptian tourism while providing comprehensive public access to one of the world's most significant collections of ancient artifacts.