Nestled near the iconic Giza pyramids, the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) is preparing for a grand opening on July 3, 2025, featuring a towering statue of Ramses II and over 100,000 artifacts, including the treasures of Tutankhamun. After more than two decades of planning, the museum aims to offer an unparalleled glimpse into Egypt’s vast archaeological wealth. Egypt continues to yield astounding archaeological finds, as evidenced by the recent discovery of King Thutmose II’s tomb.
The Grand Egyptian Museum entrance [via Visit GEM – Courtesy
Plans for the GEM were first announced in 2002. However, its debut faced numerous delays due to political instability, economic crises, and the global pandemic. Now, the colossal museum is set to be the world’s largest dedicated to a single civilization—the Pharaonic civilization—spanning over 129 acres, which is twice the size of both the Louvre and New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, and two-and-a-half times larger than the British Museum.
Museum director Ahmed Ghoneim described the opening as “a spectacular showcase of Egypt’s historical and touristic potential.” Celebrations will extend beyond the museum and pyramids to sites across Egypt and internationally. President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi emphasized its significance, stating in December, “This museum is the (world’s) largest museum for a single civilization, which is the Pharaonic civilization.”
The museum’s extensive collection is intended to highlight Egypt’s incredible history through a vast array of artifacts, including many that have languished in outdated museums or remained in storage. Among the treasures is an 11-meter statue of Ramses II, welcoming visitors to a grand staircase lined with statues of pharaohs, gods, and sarcophagi. This staircase leads to a viewing platform offering panoramic views of the Giza pyramids. Alongside statues of prominent figures like King Seti I and a Roman emperor depicted as an Egyptian pharaoh, Ramses II’s 83-ton colossus commands the atrium, encircled by shallow pools.
Currently, twelve galleries display around 15,000 artifacts, arranged chronologically from prehistory to the Greco-Roman period. Highlights include the treasures of Queen Hetepheres, displayed with sophisticated lighting after years of being stored in Cairo’s old Egyptian Museum. Tutankhamun’s extensive collection, comprising 5,600 items, including his golden mask, throne, toys, and ceremonial shield, will be revealed during the official inauguration. His coffin has recently been restored at the museum’s new state-of-the-art conservation center to prepare it for public display.
Religious and spiritual artifacts also feature prominently. Among the most impressive displays are the grand staircase’s sculptures, which include stelae, obelisks, columns, and sarcophagi celebrating Egypt’s pantheon of gods and goddesses. The granite naos of Sensuret I and sandstone naos of Ramses II, adorned with images of gods such as Atum, Amun, and Khepri, are notable highlights. In the same section, statues of several mythological figures, including Osiris and Ptah, further underscore the civilization’s devotion to its religious traditions.
The museum delves deeply into Egyptian funerary practices, showcasing objects related to tomb construction, mummification, and the afterlife. This includes shabti figurines meant to serve the deceased, canopic jars used to store organs, and the mummies themselves. Among the notable exhibits are a 4,000-year-old preserved crocodile, a gold-plated young girl’s remains, and intricately woven shrouds. The meticulous care taken to preserve these objects demonstrates the Egyptians’ profound concern with the afterlife and their desire to honor the dead.
Artifacts reflecting daily life in ancient Egypt are also prominently featured. Household items like clay pots, tools for hunting and farming, glass vessels, and even makeup containers showcase how ancient Egyptians balanced practical needs with cultural and aesthetic interests. Recreational life is represented by items such as the board game Senet, which was considered a symbolic journey into the afterlife. Another significant piece is the statue of Metri, a scribe from the 5th Dynasty, depicted in the traditional cross-legged pose of scribes with a papyrus scroll spread across his lap and a pen in his right hand.
Innovative technology enhances the museum experience through virtual reality and interactive displays, aiming to captivate younger generations. Visitors can observe conservators at work on a 44-meter-long cedarwood solar barque, buried near the Great Pyramid around 2,500 BCE, which will be fully restored over the next three years. This immersive experience offers a rare opportunity to witness ongoing preservation efforts firsthand.
The GEM’s strategic location near the newly-opened Sphinx International Airport, the pyramids, and a growing number of hotels is expected to be a “game-changer for Egypt’s tourism sector,” according to Elhamy al-Zayat, former chairman of the Egyptian Tourism Federation. Bloomberg reports that the $1 billion complex, designed to hold over 50,000 artifacts spanning 3,000 years, will likely attract five million visitors annually, adding to a record 15.7 million tourists in 2024.
The museum’s construction has been financed through $950 million in loans from Japan, which will need to be repaid. The Egyptian Armed Forces Engineering Authority maintains ultimate control over the museum’s design, operations, and research functions. \
Researchers in Egypt argue that the museum’s opening should be accompanied by a comprehensive plan to repatriate artefacts, including archival materials, to the nation. Despite Egypt’s laws against the export of antiquities since at least 1835, countless ancient Egyptian treasures have been transported abroad and are now held by over 350 institutions across 27 countries on five continents.
Monica Hanna, an Egyptologist at the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport, who is based in Aswan, emphasizes a key issue: “Howard Carter exported all his excavation notes to the Griffith Institute,” located at the University of Oxford, UK. “I believe the archive should be returned from the Griffith Institute. It should also be featured as part of the exhibition of the Tutankhamun objects,” she explains. “We cannot truly produce knowledge about the past without these archives. Without them, we are left only with objects unearthed from the ground, devoid of the context provided by thorough excavation and documentation.”
Richard Parkinson, deputy director of the Griffith Institute, told Nature that the archive is in a fragile state but noted, “Requests for repatriation would always be welcome.” While the archive has been digitized and is freely accessible, the images are low-resolution. However, Parkinson adds that high-resolution images can be provided at no cost to Egyptian researchers.
The GEM’s official opening will feature international fanfare, with invitations extended to U.S. President Donald Trump and Spain’s King Felipe VI. Egypt aims to showcase not only its rich cultural heritage but also its potential as a thriving tourism hub. Through the Grand Egyptian Museum, the nation seeks to reassert its status as a global leader in archaeology and heritage preservation. At the same time, the GEM will undoubtedly become a research hub on Ancient Egypt, not the least of which will be study into ancient spirituality.
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