The Grand Egyptian Museum, located near the Giza pyramids, is on the verge of its opening. It will be the largest archaeological museum dedicated to a single civilization, as reported by The Guardian.
The museum is scheduled to open on November 1, 2025, close to Cairo.
Construction and preparations for the museum's opening have faced numerous delays due to various factors, including conflicts in the Middle East. World leaders are expected to attend the inauguration alongside Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.
The museum is situated one kilometer from the Giza pyramids and covers an area of 470,000 square meters.
According to the museum's director, Ahmed Ghoneim, the exhibition halls will feature projectors and virtual reality technology to engage younger audiences:
"We are employing a language that resonates with Generation Z, as they do not utilize outdated tools that our generation prefers".
The museum team anticipates daily visits from 15,000 to 20,000 people.
Out of the total area, 24,000 square meters will be allocated for the permanent exhibition, children's area, conference rooms, and educational spaces. The museum will also house a center for the preservation of archaeological findings.
In its 12 main galleries, the museum will showcase artifacts from prehistoric times to the Roman era, categorized by epochs and themes.
More than 50,000 exhibits will be displayed, including an 83-ton, 3,200-year-old statue of Ramses II and a 4,500-year-old boat belonging to Pharaoh Khufu, credited with the construction of the pyramids.
Part of the artifacts has been provided by the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. Many items were transferred from the overcrowded century-old museum in Tahrir Square, Cairo. Some recently discovered artifacts come from ancient burial sites, including the Saqqara necropolis, another complex of pyramids and tombs located about 20 kilometers from the museum.

Why the Museum in Egypt Matters

The announcement for the construction of the complex was made in 1992, but actual construction began in 2005. Some sections of the museum opened in 2024.
The complex is part of a significant infrastructure project in Egypt, which includes a new metro system and an airport that began operations in 2020.
The Grand Egyptian Museum is seen as a strategic investment in cultural tourism for Africa's second-largest economy. The number of visitors dropped significantly during the Arab Spring of 2011 and the COVID-19 pandemic. Official data indicates that in 2024, Egypt welcomed a record 15.7 million visitors, with the government aiming to double that number by 2032.