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Egypt officially opened the Grand Egyptian Museum near the Giza Pyramids on Saturday, unveiling what authorities describe as the world’s largest archaeological complex dedicated to a single civilization.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi led the inauguration ceremony attended by delegations from 79 countries, including 39 led by kings, princes, and heads of state and government.
Speaking at the inauguration, President Sisi said that this achievement is the result of extensive international cooperation with a number of global companies and institutions.
“We must not forget the great support provided by the friendly nation of Japan for this monumental cultural project,” he said.
Sisi then placed the final piece bearing Egypt’s name into the miniature model of the Grand Egyptian Museum, where each piece represents one of the countries participating in the opening, thereby officially declaring the museum open.
According to the Egyptian News Agency, kings, presidents, and princes were given miniature models of the Grand Egyptian Museum to place by hand as a symbol of their people's involvement in this monumental human project.
The launch featured musical performances in one of the museum’s courtyards, with the three pyramids visible in the background.
Performers appeared in distinctive pharaonic attire, resembling a grand procession.
Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly described the museum as a “unique global edifice” and an “exceptional event in Egypt’s history.”
Madbouly said that the construction was carried out over the past seven years.
He explained that the concept dated back around 30 years, followed by preparatory work, design competitions, and architectural studies before construction began.
Board of Trustees member and businessman Mohamed Mansour predicted that the museum would attract more than five million visitors annually.
The idea of the Grand Egyptian Museum originated in the 1990s under former Culture Minister Farouk Hosni, who envisioned an open museum encompassing the pyramids, the Sphinx, and surrounding temples.
Former President Hosni Mubarak laid the foundation stone for the museum in 2002, and site preparation began in May 2005, but the project stalled for years.
Work resumed in 2014 under Sisi, who expanded the plan to make it the largest museum in human history.
The project cost around $1 billion, financed through two Japanese loans totaling $800 million, in addition to Egyptian government funding, donations, and partnerships.
The entrance hall features a colossal statue of Ramses II, and the museum houses more than 57,000 artifacts chronicling Egypt’s history.
The Grand Staircase spans 6,000 square meters—the height of a six-story building—and the museum includes 12 main galleries, temporary exhibition halls, and the Tutankhamun collection with over 5,000 artifacts displayed together for the first time since the tomb’s 1922 discovery.
It also includes a children’s museum, artifacts from Queen Hetepheres, mother of King Khufu, the Khufu boat museum, and various pieces from the Greek and Roman eras.
The design represents sun rays converging from the three pyramids, forming a conical structure—the museum itself—appearing as a “fourth pyramid” when viewed from above.
The logo, unveiled on June 10, 2018, emerged from an international UNESCO-supervised design competition.
It reflects the building’s architectural identity, inspired by the orange glow of sunset over the plateau and fluid Arabic calligraphy evoking desert dunes.
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