After 20 years and over US$1 billion spent, Egypt is done polishing the gem in its tourism crown.
What happened: The Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) officially opened today in Cairo. Located a mile away from the Giza pyramids — with a connecting walkway to the landmarks, no less — it’s the world’s largest archaeological museum dedicated to a single civilization.
- Covering an area of 470,000 square metres, the museum includes 12 main galleries housing over 50,000 items, supplementing the experience with mixed-reality shows.
Catch-up: The path to opening was nearly as rocky as Cleopatra’s reign. Construction began in 2005 with a 2015 completion target. Operations had to be paused multiple times, stopping for three years after the Arab Spring, and again in 2015 due to insufficient funds.
- Even this year had its hurdles, with the grand opening pushed back multiple times, most recently in July because of various conflicts brewing across the Middle East.
What’s inside? There’s a lot, but one highlight is the Tutankhamun galleries, which reunites all of the 5,398 objects found in his tomb for the first time since it was unearthed in 1922. Also of note are items rescued from the sunken cities of Thonis-Heracleion and Canopus.
Why it matters: Egypt is Africa’s second-largest economy, and tourism is a huge GDP contributor. In a post-pandemic rebound, the country welcomed a record 15.7 million visitors in 2024, and the government is hoping the GEM will help it reach the ambitious goal of doubling that figure by 2032.—QH