Inside the Grand Egyptian Museum: Egypt unveils the world's largest archaeological collection near the Pyramids

Thirty-three years after its announcement and two decades after construction began, the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) is complete and will finally open its full chambers to visitors in November. 

For the first time, the majority of Egypt's ancient archaeological treasures will be brought together under a single roof, on a scale that surpasses any other archaeological museum in the world, making it truly unparalleled in both its specialised scope and the density of its collection.

Among them is the long-awaited Tutankhamun Gallery, where the complete collection of treasures from his tomb will be displayed, including items previously hidden from the public.

The venue spans 90,000 square metres within a 50-hectare site — nearly six times the size of Cairo’s old Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square. 

However, the museum’s journey to completion has been far from smooth. Its long-delayed opening — most recently postponed from July — has weathered political upheaval, funding shortages, the COVID-19 pandemic, and, most recently, regional instability sparked by Israel's genocide in Gaza.

Furthermore, its total cost ballooned to over $1 billion, up from an original budget of around $550 million, with funding partly coming from international loans to offset tourism revenue losses. 

But despite years of delays, challenges, and criticism, the Grand Egyptian Museum now stands poised to become a true crown jewel — a cultural landmark capable of reshaping Egypt’s place on the global tourism map.

Just two kilometres from the Great Pyramids, the museum will take visitors on a fully immersive journey through ancient civilisation, with its striking façade of light, lines, and textures forming a dazzling gateway between modern Egypt and its eternal past.

A modern home for Egypt's treasures

The idea of creating a new home for Egypt’s vast antiquities collection emerged in the late 20th century, when it became clear that the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square could no longer accommodate the growing number of discoveries being made across the country.

Artefacts were being crammed into storage rooms, and conservation standards lagged behind international expectations.

In 1992, the Egyptian government under Hosni Mubarak officially announced its plan to build the Grand Egyptian Museum, envisioning a modern complex on the Giza Plateau that would stand alongside the pyramids as a new global landmark.

The international architectural competition launched in 2002 drew hundreds of submissions, with the Dublin-based firm Heneghan Peng ultimately selected to design the building’s pyramid-shaped form.

The collecting and conservation efforts that followed were themselves a monumental task.

Over the past decade, thousands of objects were transferred from storerooms and regional museums from Alexandria and Minya to Saqqara and Giza, each relocation carefully logged and restored in advance.

Some of the most delicate missions involved Tutankhamun’s treasures.

In 2018, 11 pieces, including the Pharaoh’s gold diadem, were transported under tight security, cushioned in antibacterial and anti-acidic foam to prevent deterioration.

Over time, the entire collection of more than 5,000 objects from his tomb has been gradually transferred, many leaving storage or display cases for the first time in decades.

Dr Salima Ikram, archaeologist and distinguished professor of Egyptology at The American University in Cairo, was one of many experts consulted during the museum’s preparations.

She highlights the role of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in making those efforts possible. "There has been intensive training of Egyptian conservators there [in Japan]. So, in fact, we have highly trained individuals and a lot of technology we can use to help conserve the materials," Dr Salima tells The New Arab.

"It is really quite state-of-the-art in terms of what is available for conservation."

Besides conservation standards having significantly improved compared to those of previous museums, the new organisation of the artefacts also seeks to enrich the visiting experience.

“While the display in the old Tahrir Museum was also chronological,” Salima argues, “this museum is trying to do two things: here, if you go in a horizontal way looping around, you get a chronological experience, and then the idea is that if you go down vertically downstairs, you will get thematic through the ages.”

The expansion of thematic sections is welcomed by tour guides and Egyptologists like Ahmed Othman, who feels that the traditional spotlight on kings and queens has overlooked much of ancient Egypt’s social fabric.

"I’m talking about the women of ancient Egypt — ordinary women, their roles in the household and in society, their work, and the ways they supported their families and communities,” Ahmed tells The New Arab.

"These aspects are often forgotten. The same goes for literature, which was not only the domain of elites but also created and used by ordinary people. It’s very important to bring those voices into the story."

Ahmed highlights the Solar Boat of King Khufu as another of the most unmissable pieces. Built more than 4,500 years ago and buried beside the Great Pyramid, the full-sized wooden vessel was intended to carry the pharaoh into the afterlife — making it both an engineering marvel and a priceless key to understanding ancient Egyptian beliefs about death and rebirth. 

With such a wide selection of impressive artefacts, Salima advises visitors to focus on what truly matches their personal interests.

"If you’re interested in writing, there’s a magnificent section of writing boards, sketches, and ostraca. You can actually see where an ancient Egyptian scribe held a pen, dipped it in ink, and began to write," she shares.

"It's a wonderful connection — a bridge across 4,000 years between you and that person. And I think that sometimes forms a deeper bond for people than even the biggest and most beautiful statues."

Beyond the museum 

The museum opening is set to support Egypt’s ambitious goal of attracting 30 million tourists by 2028, double the number it received in 2024, as the country relies on tourism as a vital source of foreign currency.

In 2024, Egypt already saw 15.7–15.8 million tourist arrivals, setting a new record despite regional instability. And according to tourism officials, growth in early 2025 is strong: Egypt welcomed 3.9 million tourists in Q1 alone, a 25% increase compared to Q1 2024.

Meanwhile, Cairo is also investing in the infrastructure to support that influx. Projects like Metro Line 4 and a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) network are being accelerated, especially in areas around Giza, to improve connectivity to the museum.

Officials are also expanding hotel capacity and upgrading options so that visitors arriving from different parts of the country, or internationally, have a smoother journey.

Still, the museum is only one piece of Egypt’s broader tourism strategy.

Alongside GEM, the government is promoting coastal destinations such as the Red Sea and the North Coast, encouraging cruise tourism, and developing new hubs like New Alamein City.

Airport upgrades and new flight connections are also underway, aiming to spread tourism more evenly across the country. 

The Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Sherif Fathy, already said it during a roundtable in May 2025: “Our goal is clear: to position Egypt as the world’s most dynamic and diverse tourist destination.”

In that context, the Grand Egyptian Museum is less a standalone project than a flagship in Egypt’s bid to reposition itself as a global tourism hub — one that turns its history into its greatest asset.

Bianca Carrera is a freelance writer and analyst specialising in Middle Eastern and North African politics and society. She has written for Al Jazeera, The New Arab, Al-Quds Al-Araby, EU Observer and others. She is based between Spain, Morocco and Egypt

Follow her on Instagram: @biancacarrera_