Giza: The Arab Republic of Egypt officially opened the Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza Governorate in a grand global event that embodies Egypt's historical stature as the cradle of human civilization, and as the largest cultural landmark of the 21st century. The museum hosts the most prominent archaeological treasures from the Pharaonic era, including colossal statues, coffins, jewellery, and royal tools, across an area exceeding 50,000 square metres.
According to Bahrain News Agency, the opening ceremony witnessed wide attendance from world leaders, political, cultural, and artistic figures from various countries, alongside representatives of international and regional organisations, reflecting global interest in Egypt's civilizational status and the museum, which is considered one of the most important cultural projects in the modern era.
On this occasion, President Abdel Fattah El Sisi welcomed the guests present for the Grand Egyptian Museum inauguration, affirming that this landmark combines the genius of the ancient Egyptian and the creativity of the contemporary Egyptian, and reflects Egypt's message of spreading peace and understanding among peoples.
The president said the museum's opening adds a new cultural and artistic monument that gathers all who care about civilisation and knowledge, emphasising that the museum embodies human unity and the values of love and cooperation among nations, wishing Egypt's guests a distinguished time between the venerable past and the flourishing present.
The Grand Egyptian Museum is an ambitious national project aiming to enhance the tourism sector and support the national economy, with construction work lasting more than twenty years, costing over one billion dollars. It was designed by the Irish firm Heneghan Peng with a stone and glass fa§ade inspired by the shape of the Fourth Pyramid next to the pyramids of Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure.
The museum includes over 100,000 artefacts representing 30 Pharaonic dynasties, with about half displayed, while the rest are preserved in specialised storage within the building, expected to receive more than five million visitors annually.
The statue of King Ramses II, weighing 83 tonnes and standing 11 metres high, crowns the entrance to the museum's main hall alongside halls dedicated to Tutankhamun that contain more than 4,500 funerary pieces, most notably the golden mask decorated with precious stones and the red quartz stone coffin.
The museum also houses an independent building displaying King Khufu's solar boat, made of cedar and acacia wood over 4,600 years ago with a length of 43.5 metres, the oldest and largest wooden archaeological piece in history.
At the museum's heart lies a grand staircase adorned with Pharaonic statues and tombs that lead to a panoramic fa§ade overlooking the pyramids. The upper floors contain 12 exhibition halls narrating fifty centuries of Egyptian history, from prehistoric times to the Greek and Roman eras, alongside research and restoration centres, libraries, and comprehensive tourist and service facilities, presenting a unique cultural experience that blends the glorious past with a renewed present.