Egyptian Museum Cairo
Located right in the center of Cairo, in the central area on the edge of Midan Tahrir, the Egyptian Museum Cairo is a must-see in any kind of visit to Cairo. Striking for its unmistakable architecture, the characteristic pink color, the neoclassical style building was designed by the French architect Marcel Dourgnon and built by the Italians Giuseppe Garozzo and Francesco Zafrani.
Entering it is almost like taking a step back in time, not only for the finds it contains but also for the unique architecture and furnishings that characterize it. Opened in 1902.
What to find inside the Egyptian Museum :
Inside the museum corridors, the world’s largest archaeological collection of evidence dating back to the various pharaonic eras consists of about 120,000 finds, several monuments including the contents of the tomb of Tutankhamun, and most of the mummies discovered from the 19th century onwards.
The exhibits date back to a historical period between the beginning of the Old Kingdom, approximately 2700 B.C., and the Greek-Roman period.
It could be particularly easy to get lost in the museum’s display places, the exhibition is really big and organized in an old-fashioned style, which contributes to its romantic charm. It will, therefore, be useful to know that the structure of the museum is organized on two floors.
On the ground floor, you can retrace the history of Egypt from the Ancient Kingdom to the Greco-Roman period, the exhibition is organized starting from the corridor on the right of the entrance and continues in a circular way.
Following this path is advisable as it will give you a good background of most of the ancient Egyptian history.
Ground Floor
- Room 43 – Atrium
- Room 48 – Ancient Dynasties
- Rooms 32, 42, 47 and 48 – Ancient Empire
- Room 26 – Montuhotep II
- Rooms 16 and 21 – Sphinxes
- Room 12 – Hathor
- Room 2 – Royal Tombs of Tanis
- Room 3 – Amarna
- Room 10 – Ramses II
- Room 34 – Greco-Roman
First Floor
- Rooms 46 and 56 – Royal Mummies
- Rooms 3, 7, 8, 9, 10, 20, 30, 35 and 45 – Tutankhamun Galleries
- Room 4 – Jewels of Ancient Egypt
- Room 2 – Tombs royals of Tanis
- Room 14 – Portraits of mummies from the Greco-Roman era
- Room 34 – Pharaonic objects
- Room 43 – Yuya and Thuyu
- Room 53 – Animal mummies
- Room 37 – Models of the Pharaonic armies
- Rooms 27 and 32 – Middle Empire
The precious value of the content for the Egyptian museum:
The first floor, on the other hand, is organized differently. A large portion of the first floor is devoted to the contents of Tutankhamen’s tomb, where anyone will be amazed, among the many elements of the precious treasure, his incomparable funeral mask, perfectly preserved. Also on the first floor is the room dedicated to the treasures found in the royal tomb of Tanis.
Another highlight of the museum, is undoubtedly the Royal Mummy’s Chamber, the visit of this part of the museum requires, for its uniqueness, the purchase of a separate ticket. It is particularly recommended because inside you can admire the mummies of some of the most important pharaohs, including no less than that of Ramesses II, that of Seti I, and that of the sacred queen of Egypt: Hatshepsut.
The museum has so much to offer that it may even be a bit excessive. It should also be considered that most of its contents have not yet been cataloged and reorganized since the time of the first arrangement, which as we have seen dates back more than a century.
As a result, some exhibition sections provide very limited information about the exhibits and the information is in a wide variety of languages, including French, English, Greek, German, and Arabic.
Their poor quality is a common complaint among visitors, so if you are passionate Egyptologists or simply curious in general and want to learn more about Egyptian civilization, we absolutely recommend that you hire a guide, the costs are moderate and you will gain in culture.
Tips
The museum suffers from the fact that many of the contents have not been rescheduled or reorganized since they were first organized over a century ago. The result is that some sections provide very little about the context of the artifacts so it is recommended to have a professional guide with you.
Discover other Museums located in Cairo
1- Coptic Museum
The Coptic Museum offers a unique collection of art and artifacts from the history of Coptic Egypt, it houses the largest collection of Coptic art and cultural artifacts in the world, cataloging a period of great change in the history of Egypt and the world in general. Coptic Christianity was the dominant religion in Egypt under Roman rule, before the arrival of Islam in the 7th century.
The history of Christianity in Egypt is unique and fascinating and, fiercely defended by the Coptic Church to this day. Its history records the interaction of several different cultures and religions, including the ancient gods of Egypt, the pagan religions of Rome and Greece, the beginning of Christianity, and the beginning of Islam.
In this museum, you will discover that it is no accident that the Egyptian ankh and the cross of Christianity are so similar in their fundamental form.
2- Museum of Islamic Art
The Museum has an exceptional collection of wooden and plaster artifacts, as well as objects in metal, ceramics, glass, crystal, and textiles that refer to periods of Islamic civilization and to the entire Islamic world.
The museum currently displays 4,400 artifacts and nearly 100,000 relics. The Museum of Islamic Art is one of the cultural gems of the Egyptian capital and is considered one of the largest in the world.
The museum is not so visited by tourists compared to the Egyptian Museum, but the view of this place is really worth it. The Museum is located in Cairo – Shar’a Bab El Khalk Square. You can reach the place by car or tour van.
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