Last Wednesday, 16 October 2024, the highly-anticipated Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) opened its main exhibition galleries to the public! This soft opening marks an important milestone for the BESIX - Orascom teams, who have been diligently working on this unique and iconic project for more than 10 years.
These main exhibition galleries, covering approximately 13,000 m², feature a remarkable collection that highlights individual masterpieces within a broader historical narrative for four different chronological periods of Egyptian civilisation, allowing visitors to delve into Egypt’s rich history and heritage. Other notable attractions open to the visitors includes the world’s first suspended obelisk and the iconic Statue of King Ramses II, greeting the visitors at the entrance of the Grand Stairs courtyard. In addition to the main galleries and grand stair, visitors can enjoy other accessible spaces such as the outdoor gardens, several restaurants, cafes and shops, as well as a conference center.
Covering approximately 491,000 m², the Grand Egyptian Museum stands as the largest archaeological museum and cultural hub in the world, showcasing more than thousands of Egyptian ancient artefacts. It is situatied near the Giza Plateau overlooking the last remaining ancient wonder of the world, namely the Great Pyramids of Giza.
Soon, other eagerly awaited galleries will open as well. These include:
- King Tutankhamun galleries, housing the full collection of over 5000 artefacts from King Tutankhamun tomb, including the world-renowned golden mask, exhibited for the first time at one single place.
- Solar Boat Museum Building, housing the 4500-year-old Solar Boat that BESIX and Orascom Construction transported and placed inside its own separate building, simultaneously during its construction.
- Microsoft Hololens augmented reality experience
- Children’s Museum
Congratulations to our colleagues in Egypt with this incredible achievement! We look forward to seeing the rest of the museum in its full glory soon.
