After two decades of construction and a staggering budget of over $1 billion, the Grand Egyptian Museum has finally opened its doors to the public. This monumental project, originally estimated at less than half its final cost, now stands as the largest museum in the world dedicated to a single civilisation.
The Arrival Experience: Chaos and Wonder
Reaching the GEM presents visitors with their first challenge. The approach involves navigating Cairo's notoriously hectic traffic, with access routes and car parks described as borderline unhinged in their organisation. However, the stress of arrival quickly dissipates as visitors catch their first proper view of the architectural behemoth ahead.
Sprawling across an area equivalent to 70 football pitches, the state-of-the-art structure immediately impresses. Designed by Dublin-based architects Róisín Heneghan and Shi-Fu Peng, the building perfectly aligns with the nearby pyramids, echoing their geometry while offering impossible-to-ignore views of the ancient wonders.
Inside the Colossal Museum
Upon entering, visitors are greeted by a 12-metre-tall statue of Ramses II, standing guard as people scan their £23 tickets. The vast entrance hall creates an immediate sense of awe, though some might find it oddly empty. The atmosphere is quickly brought back to earth by crowded, overpriced coffee shops and the surprising presence of a Ladurée macaron outlet.
The architectural storytelling shines during the ascent to the main galleries. Three layers of statues line the escalators, representing the stages of life from mortals to gods as visitors rise higher. This thoughtful design creates a powerful narrative journey before reaching the exhibition spaces.
The Visitor Experience: Crowds and King Tut
Despite visiting on a weekday morning, the museum experiences what can only be described as bedlam. Families, tour groups, and history enthusiasts swarm every display and interactive screen, making it difficult to properly view artefacts or read information placards. The situation is compounded by fingerprint-smudged glass cases that frustrate photography attempts.
The Tutankhamun collection serves as the museum's undeniable crown jewel, featuring the complete collection of King Tut's artefacts housed together for the first time. However, the queue to view his famous funerary mask has been poorly managed, creating scenes that reportedly rival the crowded viewing experience of the Mona Lisa at the Louvre.
Visitor numbers have proven problematic since opening, with the museum having to close temporarily due to severe overcrowding. With a maximum capacity of 20,000 people, the GEM has seen up to 28,000 visitors at one time, creating challenging conditions for both visitors and staff.
The museum has implemented a pricing structure where Egyptian residents can enter for 350 EGP after 1pm, improving accessibility but potentially exacerbating crowd issues. This policy explains the hundreds of people often seen waiting outside the main entrance for the afternoon rate to begin.
Highlights and Alternatives
Beyond the main collections, the separate Boat Gallery offers a fascinating glimpse into ancient Egyptian shipbuilding. Visitors can watch conservators painstakingly reconstruct a second ancient vessel, having already completed one that now stands as a remarkable example of what could be described as the world's oldest flat-pack furniture.
For those seeking a more relaxed museum experience, the article recommends the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization (NMEC). This smaller institution houses a 35,000-year-old skeleton and features a crypt containing world-famous mummies that visitors can examine in intimate detail.
The Grand Egyptian Museum represents an extraordinary achievement in museum design and cultural preservation. While it currently faces significant challenges with crowd management, the sheer scale of the collection and architectural brilliance make it an essential visit for anyone travelling to Cairo. Visitors would be wise to book ahead, arrive prepared for crowds, and consider timing their visit carefully to make the most of this billion-dollar cultural landmark.
