The Architecture
Set across 484,000 square feet of floor space, the billion dollar museum features 12 exhibition halls. Visitors will be greeted by a monumental forecourt, its scale calibrated to elicit an emotional response akin to standing in front of the pyramids. Inside, the museum’s soaring atrium is marked by a 36-foot-tall, 3,200-years-old statue of the Egyptian Pharaoh Rameses II. A grand staircase ascends to plateau level from where, through the galleries, the eye is drawn outside, towards the ancient wonders. Seamlessly integrated into the museum’s masterplan, a series of gardens create a favorable micro-climate.
Tutankhamun’s New Home
One of the most significant Pharaohs of the Eighteenth Dynasty of Ancient Egypt – courtesy of the opulent wealth and documentation discovered in his nearly-intact tomb in 1922 – Tutankhamen is intrinsically linked with how the world views Egyptian history. Now, the entirety of his treasures will be revealed to the world. From objects destined to clear his path in the afterlife, to garments, jewels and chariots used during his lifetime, all 5,000 objects from his tomb will be displayed for the first time across two gigantic museum halls. Overall, the Grand Egyptian Museum will present over 100,000 artifacts.
So, when will the Grand Egyptian Museum open?
As noted, the project has been a long-time coming. While the Egyptian government and the museum itself have remained tight-lipped about the exact opening date, events such as the Dior Men’s 2022 show, which took place near the complex, have kept it on the radar. There are murmurs of a late 2023 inauguration.
