Egypt inaugurated the Grand Egyptian Museum on the Giza Plateau, a nearly 500,000 sq. m. complex built with major Japanese support that holds about 100,000 artefacts. Highlights include an 83-tonne statue of Ramses II, a live conservation lab restoring a 4,500-year-old solar boat, and more than 5,000 objects from Tutankhamun displayed together for the first time. Officials hope the GEM will draw five million visitors a year, but experts warn success depends on sustained tourism, maintenance and regional stability.
Grand Egyptian Museum Opens on Giza Plateau — A New Global Landmark for Ancient Egypt
Egypt inaugurated the Grand Egyptian Museum on the Giza Plateau, a nearly 500,000 sq. m. complex built with major Japanese support that holds about 100,000 artefacts. Highlights include an 83-tonne statue of Ramses II, a live conservation lab restoring a 4,500-year-old solar boat, and more than 5,000 objects from Tutankhamun displayed together for the first time. Officials hope the GEM will draw five million visitors a year, but experts warn success depends on sustained tourism, maintenance and regional stability.
13:20, 02.11.2025Culture
Egypt on Saturday formally inaugurated the long-awaited Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) on the Giza Plateau, a multibillion-dollar cultural complex that Cairo hopes will revive tourism and bolster the economy.
Inauguration and spectacle
"Today, as we celebrate together the opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum, we are writing a new chapter in the history of the present and the future," President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said to invited dignitaries in the museum's main square.
The evening opening included a dramatic lights-and-music show framed by the silhouette of the pyramids. Performers in elaborate Pharaonic costume played traditional music while a laser production depicting ancient rulers and a fireworks display illuminated the night sky. Large screens also showed celebrations from Tokyo and Rio de Janeiro alongside footage of Egypt's monuments.
About the museum
Perched on a gentle slope overlooking the Giza Plateau, the GEM covers roughly half a million square metres and holds about 100,000 artefacts, with close to half on display. Built with major financial and technical support from Japan, it is described by Egyptian officials as the largest museum dedicated to a single civilisation.
- Iconic exhibits: An 83-tonne statue of Ramses II dominates the central atrium.
- King Tutankhamun: More than 5,000 objects associated with Tutankhamun are displayed together for the first time.
- Live conservation lab: Visitors can watch restorers through floor-to-ceiling glass as they assemble a 4,500-year-old solar boat found near Khufu’s pyramid.
- Modern visitor experience: The GEM offers expansive, naturally lit halls, immersive galleries, precision lighting, virtual reality displays and a dedicated children's museum space.
Economic hopes and visitor targets
Egyptian officials say the museum could become a major draw for international tourism. Tourism produced $12.5 billion from 15 million visitors in the first nine months of 2025, a 21% rise from a year earlier. The government expects the GEM to attract about five million visitors annually and hopes daily attendance will rise from the current 5,000–6,000 to as many as 15,000.
Challenges and outlook
After more than two decades in development, the GEM experienced repeated delays because of political unrest, regional conflicts and the Covid-19 pandemic. Heritage campaigner Monica Hanna told AFP it is "too early to decide" whether the museum will meet Egypt's ambitions. Observers caution that the GEM's long-term success will depend on steady visitor flows, reliable maintenance, strong infrastructure and regional stability — factors that could be affected by conflicts in Gaza and Sudan and broader economic pressures.
Opening schedule: The museum was inaugurated on Saturday and is scheduled to open to the public on Tuesday.