In 1992, Egypt took the first steps toward realizing its grand dream when an area of 117 acres was allocated near the Giza pyramids, destined to become the home of one of the largest museums in the world: the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM). In 2002, the foundation stone was laid, marking the start of a long journey filled with challenges and ambitions. Just one year later, in 2003, the Irish architectural firm Heneghan Peng was selected to design the museum after winning an international architectural competition.
Between 2005 and 2008, construction began, and the project’s features began taking shape. In 2010, the museum’s Conservation Center was inaugurated, becoming a global hub for preserving and restoring Egyptian archaeological treasures. As the project’s scale and significance grew, President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi called for accelerated work in 2015 and 2016, continuing Egypt’s journey toward fulfilling the museum’s dream. In 2018, the Grand Hall welcomed the statue of King Ramesses II, the first artefact to find its home at the heart of the museum.
Achievements continued over the years, with construction completion reaching 97% in 2020. In 2021, the museum’s digital infrastructure reached 90% completion, paving the way for GEM to become a modern hub of technology and heritage.
In 2023, the Grand Stairs partially opened to visitors, offering a majestic introduction to the splendor of Egyptian civilisation. Subsequently, in 2024, the partial opening of the main galleries provided the world with a glimpse of the unique treasures to be exhibited.
In 2025, on the first of November, the Grand Egyptian Museum opened its doors as an international destination that presents history spanning thousands of years, with each object telling the story of Egypt’s civilisation. GEM is the largest global museum dedicated to ancient Egyptian civilisation from prehistory to the end of the Greek and Roman periods. Here, you uncover the stories behind the artefacts, some discovered mere feet from the GEM. The museum serves as a bridge between the past and present, blending the grandeur of ancient Egyptian civilisation with cutting-edge museum technology.
A sprawling cultural complex spanning 32,000 square meters of exhibition space is taking shape near the Giza pyramids, positioned roughly two kilometers northwest of the iconic site and close to the Cairo-Alexandria highway interchange. The project’s first two decades are projected to cost about $1.2 billion. Architecturally, the building is conceived as a softened triangle in plan, with its north and south walls directly aligned to the Cheops and Chephren pyramids. In front of the museum, a grand plaza planted with date palms creates a striking urban foreground to the monumental structure. The front facade features a translucent alabaster stone wall that forms a bright, glassy entrance, opening into a large atrium from which the museum’s galleries radiate. Inside, the museum is organized into multiple exhibition halls dedicated to major periods of ancient Egyptian history. The plan includes galleries covering the New Kingdom (c. 1550–1070 BCE), the Third Intermediate Period (c. 1070–664 BCE), the Late Period (c. 664–332 BCE), and the Greco-Roman Period (332 BCE–395 CE). A centerpiece is a special chamber devoted to Tutankhamun, announced to house seven times more
