Today's Edition
CAIRO (AFP)
Cairo is finally set to open the Grand Egyptian Museum on Saturday -- a long-awaited, billion-dollar showcase of pharaonic grandeur that Egypt hopes will help revive tourism and boost its economy.
Seventy-nine delegations, including 39 heads of state and government, are expected at the ceremony, which begins at 7:30pm local time (1730 GMT).
Germany, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Belgium, Spain, and Denmark will be among those sending representatives, according to a statement from the Egyptian presidency.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi posted a message on his social media accounts:"From the blessed land of Egypt, the cradle of human civilisation, I welcome our distinguished guests, the leaders and eminent dignitaries of the world, as we gather together to witness the inauguration of the Grand Egyptian Museum, which contains within its walls the vast treasures of Egypt’s ancient civilisation.
"It brings together the genius of ancient Egyptians and the creativity of modern Egyptians, enhancing the world culture and art with a new landmark that will attract all those who cherish civilisation and knowledge. It shall be a source of pride to every believer in the unity of humanity and in the values of peace, love, and cooperation among nations. I wish all our guests an enjoyable time in Egypt with the warm embrace of the past and the present."
من ارض مصر الطيبة .. مهد الحضارة الإنسانية، اٌرحب بضيوفنا من قادة العالم ورموزه الكبار ، لنشهد سوياً افتتاح المتحف المصري الكبير الذي يضم بين جنباته كنوز الحضارة المصرية العريقة ، ويجمع بين عبقرية المصري القديم وإبداع المصري المعاصر، و يضيف إلى عالم الثقافة والفنون معلما جديدا ،…
— Abdelfattah Elsisi (@AlsisiOfficial) November 1, 2025
In the nights leading up to the opening, shafts of light have illuminated both the pyramids and the museum's colossal facade -- a prelude to Saturday's spectacle.
Set on a gentle slope overlooking the Giza Plateau, just beyond the shadow of the pyramids, the museum was built with major financial and technical support from Japan, and spreads across nearly half a million square metres.
It houses more than 100,000 artefacts, half of which will be on display, making it the world's largest collection devoted to a single civilisation, according to Egyptian officials.
Inside, visitors will enter vast, light-filled halls with soaring ceilings and sand-coloured stone walls that echo the surrounding desert.
At the centre of the main atrium stands an 83-tonne statue of Ramses II, the pharaoh who ruled Egypt for 66 years and presided over its golden age.
Unlike the cramped, century-old Egyptian Museum in central Cairo, the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) features immersive galleries, precision lighting, virtual-reality exhibits, and even a children's museum.
One highlight is a live conservation lab, visible through floor-to-ceiling glass, where visitors can watch restorers assembling a 4,500-year-old solar boat buried near Khufu's pyramid, built to carry his soul across the sky with the sun god Ra.
The undisputed star of the show, however, is King Tutankhamun's collection of more than 5,000 objects, many displayed together for the first time. Details of the boy pharaoh's gold mask display remain under wraps.
The museum opens to the public on Tuesday, showcasing thousands of funerary artefacts previously scattered across Egypt.
Elhamy al-Zayat, former head of the Egyptian Tourism Federation, told AFP the museum was part of a broader plan to transform the entire Giza Plateau.
"Egypt has created an entirely new cultural and tourist zone" at the plateau, with a nearby airport and upgraded visitor facilities at the pyramids, he said. Roads leading to the plateau have been refurbished, digital ticketing introduced, and air-conditioned electric buses now glide past the pyramids.
Officials believe the GEM could draw up to seven million visitors annually, potentially bringing total visitor numbers to 30 million by 2030.
