The Grand Egyptian Museum, which will showcase more than 50,000 artifacts dating back to ancient Egypt, is set to open near the Pyramids this weekend after decades of construction.
Upon its grand opening Saturday, the Grand Egyptian Museum will become the world’s largest exhibitor of historical Egyptian artifacts, ranging from the prehistory to the end of Egypt’s Roman period in the 7th century, per the museum’s website.
By comparison, there are about 35,000 such artifacts on display in the Louvre in Paris, according to The Associated Press.
The museum will open to the public on Tuesday, coinciding with the 103rd anniversary of the opening of the tomb of the pharaoh Tutankhamun, the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said as translated from Arabic.
The artifacts include an obelisk of the pharaoh Ramesses II, also known as “the Great,” displayed outside, a statue of Ramesses II in the main atrium, the boats of the pharaoh Khufu who built the Great Pyramid of Giza, and the famous golden burial mask of the pharaoh Tutankhamun.
Egypt first allocated the land for the museum in 1992, with construction starting in 2005. Political turmoil surrounding the Arab Spring paused construction for three years starting in 2011, according to the AP. The museum is a priority of current Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi, who took power in 2014.
Much of the museum’s collection was once held in the Egyptian Museum located in downtown Cairo, which was the target of looters during the Arab Spring’s initial protests, according to Reuters. Other artifacts were discovered in the years since.
Egyptian authorities hope the new museum will draw more tourists. Hassan Allam, CEO of Hassan Allam Holding, which will operate the museum, told the AP that the company is expecting about 15,000 to 20,000 visitors a day.
• Brad Matthews can be reached at bmatthews@washingtontimes.com.
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