GIZA, Egypt — Egypt has officially opened the long-awaited Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) near the Great Pyramid of Khufu, unveiling what is billed as the world’s largest archaeological museum and a new centrepiece for the country’s cultural tourism.
The $1.2 billion complex displays around 100,000 artefacts covering more than 7,000 years of Egyptian history, from pre-dynastic times through the Greek and Roman periods.
The main attraction is the complete collection from the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun, displayed in its entirety for the first time since British archaeologist Howard Carter discovered it in 1922. The exhibit includes the young king’s gold mask, throne, chariots, and thousands of other personal treasures.
“We wanted to recreate the experience Carter had over a century ago,” said Dr. Tarek Tawfik, president of the International Association of Egyptologists and former GEM director. “Nothing remains in storage—visitors can now see the full tomb together for the first time.”
Officials expect the museum to attract up to eight million visitors a year, providing a major boost to Egypt’s tourism sector, which has struggled in recent years due to regional instability and global crises.
“The Grand Egyptian Museum will usher in a new golden age for Egyptology and tourism,” said local guide Ahmed Seddik. “When Tutankhamun’s full collection opens, the whole world will come.”
Covering 500,000 square metres—around the size of 70 football fields—the museum features a pyramid-shaped façade made of alabaster panels carved with hieroglyphs. Inside, a monumental staircase lined with statues of ancient rulers leads to galleries offering panoramic views of the Giza Pyramids.
Among the highlights are the 11-metre-high statue of Ramesses II, a 16-metre suspended obelisk, and the 4,500-year-old funerary boat of Pharaoh Khufu, one of the oldest and best-preserved vessels from antiquity.
Construction of the museum, first proposed in 1992 under President Hosni Mubarak, began in 2005 but was repeatedly delayed by funding shortages, the 2011 Arab Spring, the Covid-19 pandemic, and regional conflicts.
“It was my dream to see this day,” said Dr. Zahi Hawass, Egypt’s former minister of antiquities. “This proves that Egyptians can lead in archaeology, restoration, and museum curation.”
Hawass and other Egyptologists are renewing calls for the return of key artefacts held abroad, including the Rosetta Stone from the British Museum, the Dendera Zodiac from the Louvre, and the Bust of Nefertiti from Berlin’s Neues Museum.
“We want these objects to come back as gestures of goodwill,” Hawass said. “Egypt has given many gifts to the world.”
The British Museum told the BBC it had received “no formal requests” from the Egyptian government regarding the Rosetta Stone.
For visitors, the GEM offers a modern, organized alternative to the crowded Egyptian Museum in Cairo’s Tahrir Square.
“The old museum was confusing,” said a British tourist awaiting the opening. “This feels far more accessible and impressive.”
Egyptian conservators have restored thousands of artefacts at the GEM, including Tutankhamun’s intricate textile-and-leather armour. Under Egyptian law, such restoration work can only be carried out by nationals.
“The conservation has amazed experts worldwide,” said Dr. Tawfik. “The Grand Egyptian Museum celebrates not only ancient Egypt, but modern Egypt’s achievement in bringing it to life.”
