(Cairo) After 20 years of construction, Egypt's Grand Egyptian Museum, built at a cost of over US$1 billion, officially opened on Saturday, hoping to boost local tourism and inject a strong stimulus into the sluggish economy.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, in his opening address on Saturday (November 1), said that the Grand Egyptian Museum, located near the Giza Pyramids, is the world's largest single-civilization museum dedicated to Egyptian civilization.
He said that this magnificent building is not only a venue for preserving precious artifacts, but also a living testament to the wisdom of the Egyptian people. "Today, as we celebrate the completion of the Grand Egyptian Museum, we are writing a new chapter in history for the present and the future."
Nearly 80 heads of state, members of royal families, and official delegations from around the world attended the opening ceremony.
The Grand Egyptian Museum covers approximately 500,000 square meters and features 12 themed exhibition halls. It cost over US$1 billion (over S$1.3 billion) to build, of which approximately US$800 million was a soft loan provided by Japan.
Further Reading
For the first time, the museum is exhibiting in its entirety the funerary objects of Pharaoh Tutankhamun. The museum's collection contains more than 100,000 artifacts, including 5,992 funerary objects belonging to the ancient Egyptian Pharaoh Tutankhamun, which are being exhibited in their entirety for the first time, the restored Khufu solar boat, and the 83-ton colossal statue of the ancient Egyptian Pharaoh Ramses II.
Grand Egyptian Museum Director Quneem said the museum is Egypt's gift to the world, calling it "a game-changer for Egypt's tourism industry and a catalyst for cultural tourism."
Egypt relies heavily on tourism for foreign exchange and employment, but it has suffered repeated setbacks over the past 15 years due to political instability and other factors. However, the local tourism industry has gradually recovered in recent years. In the first nine months of this year, it attracted 15 million visitors, generating US$12.5 billion (approximately S$16.2 billion), a 21% year-on-year increase.
Egyptian Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Fahhi said on Saturday that the government expects the total number of visitors this year to reach 18 million, and anticipates the Grand Egyptian Museum to be a significant driver of Egypt's tourism industry.
He revealed that during its trial operation over the past year, several exhibition halls in the museum have been open to the public, receiving approximately 5,000 to 6,000 visitors daily.
He anticipates that with the official opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum, the average daily visitor count will increase to 15,000, making it "one of the most visited cultural institutions in the world."
However, Egyptologist Hannah told AFP that it is too early to judge whether the museum can realize Egypt's ambition to boost tourism.
Observers remain cautious, believing the museum's success depends on stable visitor traffic, regular maintenance, and well-developed infrastructure.
They point out that economic pressures and regional instability, including the Israeli-Kazakh war, could be stumbling blocks to Egypt's vision.
The Grand Egyptian Museum was designed by the Irish architectural firm Heneghan Peng. Construction began in 2005 but has been repeatedly delayed due to the Arab Spring, the COVID-19 pandemic, and funding issues.
Unlike the century-old Egyptian Museum in downtown Cairo, the new museum features immersive exhibition halls, sophisticated lighting systems, and a children's museum.
In addition, it includes shops, restaurants, and business meeting rooms. According to local media reports, it will also become an important venue for food festivals, music performances, and sporting events.
The Grand Egyptian Museum will officially open to the public on Tuesday (November 4).
