Egypt unveils the world’s largest museum dedicated to its ancient civilization

CAIRO AP Egypt was inaugurating the long-delayed Grand Egyptian Museum on Saturday the world s largest museum dedicated to its ancient civilization a megaproject also aimed at boosting the country s tourism industry and troubled market Two decades in the making and located near the Giza Pyramids on the edge of Cairo the Egyptian capital the museum showcases over artifacts detailing life in ancient Egypt World leaders including monarchs heads of states and governments were to attend the grand opening ceremony according to a comment from the Egyptian presidency which touted the museum as an exceptional event in the history of human custom and civilization President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi wrote on social medial that the museum will bring together the genius of ancient Egyptians and the creativity of modern Egyptians enhancing the world values and art with a new landmark that will attract all those who cherish civilization and knowledge The museum is one of several megaprojects championed by el-Sissi since he took office in embarking on massive investments in infrastructure with the aim of reviving an financial sector weakened by decades of stagnation and battered by the unrest that followed the Arab Spring uprising Preparations for the grand reveal have been shrouded in secrecy Precaution around Cairo has been tightened ahead of the opening ceremony with the cabinet announcing Saturday would be a inhabitants holiday The museum which has been open for limited visits over the past scant years was closed for the final two-week preparations The administration has revamped the area around the museum and the nearby Giza Plateau that holds the pyramids and the Sphinx Roads were paved and a metro station is being constructed outside the museum gates to improve access An airport Sphinx International Airport has also opened west of Cairo minutes from the museum The billion facility had faced multiple delays with construction beginning in but interrupted due to political instability The museum known as GEM boasts a towering triangular glass fa ade imitating the nearby pyramids with square meters square feet of permanent exhibition space From the atrium a grand six-story staircase lined with ancient statues leads up to the main galleries and a view of the nearby pyramids A bridge links the museum to the pyramids allowing tourists to move between them either on foot or via electric vehicles according to museum representatives The museum s main galleries which opened last year exhibit antiquities spanning from prehistoric times to the Roman era organized by era and by themes Two halls are dedicated to the artifacts from the collection of King Tutankhamun which will be displayed in its entirely for the first time since British archaeologist Howard Carter discovered King Tut s tomb in in the southern city of Luxor Zahi Hawass Egypt s greater part renowned archaeologist and former minister of antiquities declared the Tutankhamun collection is the museum s masterpiece Why this museum is so pivotal and everyone is waiting for the opening he reported The Associated Press Because of Tutankhamun The collection includes the boy pharaoh s three funeral beds and six chariots his golden throne his gold-covered sarcophagus and his burial mask made of gold quartzite lapis lazuli and colored glass The establishment s hopes the museum will draw more tourists who will stay for a while and provide the foreign currency needed to shore up Egypt s battered economic system The tourism sector has suffered during years of political turmoil and violence following the Arab Spring uprising In up-to-date years the sector has started to recover after the coronavirus pandemic and amid Russia s war on Ukraine both countries are major sources of tourists visiting Egypt A record number of about million tourists visited Egypt in contributing about of the country s GDP according to official figures The administration aims to attract million visitors annually by The museum will be open to the residents starting Tuesday personnel noted Source