Egypt: Cairo unveiled the Grand Egyptian Museum on Saturday in a lavish ceremony near the Giza Pyramids, marking the launch of one of the most ambitious cultural projects in modern history. Leaders, prime ministers, and royalty from around the world gathered for the long-awaited opening, which brings together Egypt’s most treasured antiquities under one striking modern roof.
The opening crowns a 20-year effort hindered by political upheaval, economic challenges, the Arab Spring, regional conflicts, and the pandemic. The sprawling complex, covering more than 120 acres, stands as one of the world’s largest archaeological museums and is designed to tell the story of seven millennia of Egyptian civilization in a single space.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi called the museum a new chapter for the nation, standing at the base of a giant screen as dancers in pharaonic costumes, orchestras, and laser displays staged a grand celebration. He was joined by leaders including Germany’s President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof, Hungary’s Viktor Orbán, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, and other regional dignitaries.
Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly described the museum as a gift from Egypt to the world, highlighting the nation’s heritage stretching back more than 7,000 years.
اليوم يفتح التاريخ أبوابه.
المتحف المصري الكبير يرحب بالعالم.Today, history opens its doors.
The Grand Egyptian Museum welcomes the world. #GrandEgyptianMuseum #Egypt #GEM pic.twitter.com/K3xIV4vyjq— Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (@TourismandAntiq) November 1, 2025
Tutankhamun Collection Takes Center Stage
At its core, the museum showcases the full treasures of Tutankhamun’s tomb for the first time since its discovery in 1922. Visitors will see more than 5,500 objects from the boy-king’s burial chamber, including his gold funerary mask, throne, chariots, and sarcophagus. Egyptologists say the display recreates the moment Howard Carter first encountered the tomb’s wonders.
A monumental statue of Ramses II greets visitors at the entrance, while galleries nearby feature the 4,500-year-old Khufu solar boat and a suspended obelisk carved with ancient inscriptions. Giant staircases lined with statues lead to expansive viewing halls framing the Great Pyramid through towering glass.
من ارض مصر الطيبة .. مهد الحضارة الإنسانية، اٌرحب بضيوفنا من قادة العالم ورموزه الكبار ، لنشهد سوياً افتتاح المتحف المصري الكبير الذي يضم بين جنباته كنوز الحضارة المصرية العريقة ، ويجمع بين عبقرية المصري القديم وإبداع المصري المعاصر، و يضيف إلى عالم الثقافة والفنون معلما جديدا ،…
— Abdelfattah Elsisi (@AlsisiOfficial) November 1, 2025
Cultural Pride and Reclaiming Heritage
The museum’s opening also carries deep symbolic weight. Egyptologists and officials hope its scale and sophistication will strengthen calls for the return of iconic artifacts held abroad, including the Rosetta Stone in London, the Nefertiti bust in Berlin, and the Dendera Zodiac in Paris. Veteran archaeologist Zahi Hawass said the museum proves Egypt is fully capable of preserving and presenting its own treasures.
The project’s development was challenged by years of instability and financial strain, but its completion reflects Egypt’s determination to reclaim cultural leadership and boost tourism, a crucial economic pillar.
Funded largely through Japanese loans and designed by Irish architects, the museum cost more than $1 billion to build and is expected to draw up to 8 million visitors annually.
After two decades of dust, design, and divine patience, today (Nov 1st 2025) the #GrandEgyptianMuseum has finally opened its monumental doors beside the Giza Plateau.
A new age of Egyptology has dawned, and the pyramids have a new neighbour; not a rival, but a reverent heir.… pic.twitter.com/pvy8TlxDwX
— Egypt Museum (@egyptomuseum) November 1, 2025
Global Center of Egyptology
For many Egyptians and visitors, the museum represents a turning point. It replaces the historic but crammed Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square, which suffered damage during the 2011 uprising.
Scholars say the new facility will serve not only as a showcase of ancient history but also as a modern center for conservation and archaeological research.
Tour guides in Giza say the opening will usher in a renewed era of global interest in Egyptian heritage, predicting record tourism once the full public opening begins this week.
Visitors from Europe who attended soft openings last year described the experience as unforgettable, calling the museum clearer, richer, and more immersive than its predecessor.
With the Grand Egyptian Museum now open beside one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, Egypt hopes to welcome the world to a new era of cultural discovery, pride, and preservation.
