The Egyptian Museum in Cairo (EMC) is the oldest archaeological museum in the Middle East. It is famous for its mind-boggling collection of more than 170,000 artefacts collected from the Predynastic Period to the Greco-Roman Era. The museum has the highest number of treasured pieces of ancient Egyptian history including Tutankhamun's treasures.
Also known as the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities, The Egyptian Museum of Cairo is a treasure trove of ancient wonders. It is located in the heart of Tahrir Square and boasts an impressive collection of over 170,000 artefacts. These collections span from the Predynastic Period to the Graeco-Roman Era (approximately 5500 BC to AD 364) and showcase the splendour of ancient Egypt.
The museum's architecture is designed by French architect Marcel Dourgnon. The museum has 100 exhibition halls to give us a glimpse of pharaohs, gods, and daily life in ancient Egypt. The Isis Keystone that is found in the main entrance serves as a fitting welcome for the museum.
From intricately carved statues of gods and kings to dazzling jewellery and exquisite sarcophagi, the museum houses thousands of precious Egyptian artefacts. While each artefact at the museum has a deep history behind it, the Mask of Tutankhamun is the primary highlight. The Mask of Tutankhamun is a solid gold funerary mask embellished with precious gemstones. This 8th-century mask once covered the face of the young pharaoh Tutankhamun in his tomb. Other prime highlights are Menkaure Triads, Ramesses II Child and the God Horus, The Rosetta Stone and the Mummy Room. Masterpiece statues at the museum include Hor son of Ankh Khonsu Ptolemaic King, and Psametik.
Location: Midan al-Tahrir, Downtown
Timings: 9 am to 5 pm except on Thursday, Friday, and Sunday. On Friday, it is from 9 am to 4 pm. And on Thursday and Sunday, it is reopened from 5:30 pm to 9 pm.
Price: 391.56 Egyptian pounds per adult
Highlights
• Marvel at the opulent treasures and artefacts like the intricately carved funeral mask of the Egyptian boy king, Tutankhamun at the Tomb of Tutankhamun.
• Enter into the Mummy Room where the preserved remains of ancient Egyptian pharaohs and queens lie in silence.
• Participate in a Hieroglyphics Workshop, learn the basics of this ancient script, decipher common symbols and compose your personalised cartouche.
• Witness the Rosetta Stone which is an ancient slab of black basalt inscribed with a decree issued by King Ptolemy V in 196 BC.
• Attend a Guided Tour with an Egyptologist and Delve deeper into the stories behind the artefacts, uncover the secrets of mummification and decipher hieroglyphs.
How To Reach
The Egyptian Museum is located in the heart of Cairo Egypt. It is easily reachable via public transport systems as well as via cars and taxis.
By Car: Egyptian Museum Cairo is located 500 metres from the city centre and it will take 2 minutes via El Tahrir Road.
By Bus: The nearest bus stop to the Egyptian Museum Cairo is the Abdel Moneim Riad Square Bus Stop. It is easily accessible via various bus routes across Cairo. You can reach the museum by taking a quick 6-minute walk from the bus stop.
By Metro: The nearest metro station to the Egyptian Museum Cairo is Sadat Metro Station. From there, you can reach the museum with an 8-minute walk.
Best Time To Visit
The Egyptian Museum Cairo is a year-round destination that can be visited at any time of the year.
Best Season: The ideal time to explore the museum is during the winter months from November to March. The weather is pleasant and you can avoid extreme heat.
Best Day: Mondays to Thursdays are generally less crowded than other days of the week. Fridays are a day off in Egypt and hence, the museum is usually crowded with local people.
Best Time of Day: Early morning is optimal for visiting the museum. Arrive right when it opens (around 9:00 AM) to beat the crowds.
Other Essential Information
Tips for visiting The Egyptian Museum
1. The museum is vast so you wear comfortable shoes to walk around the museum.
2. Visit the gift shop at the museum to shop for souvenirs like Coptic crafts and books.
3. Bags and backpacks are not allowed inside the museum. There’s a bag-check area near the entrance.
4. Many artefacts are fragile. Do not touch them. Observe the signs and follow any instructions from museum staff.
5. Restrooms are available within the museum for public access.
6. There’s a cafeteria where you can grab a snack or drink and keep yourself energised and hydrated.
7. Photography is allowed but without flash. You can check with the museum for any restricted areas within the museum.
8. Consider joining a guided tour to learn in detail about the various artefacts kept at the museum.
Tomb of Tutankhamun
This is the most famous attraction of the museum which can be found in a dark room on the second floor. The mask dates back to the 8th century and is made of two layers of gold. A protective spell from the Book of the Dead is inscribed on the shoulders of the mask. This extravagant funerary mask was discovered by Howard Carter in 1925 in tomb KV62 in the Valley of the Kings and weighs more than 10 kg.
Narmer Palette (Old Kingdom)
This is an ancient cosmetic palette which was used to make cosmetic pastes for God statues. The ingredients were ground on this palette to powder or paste form. The palette has inscriptions that tell how Upper and Lower Egypt was unified by King Narmer with precision to detail. Hence it is considered to be the first historical document in the world. This masterpiece is from the 31st century BC and can be found on the Ground floor, gallery 43.
Statue of Djoser (Old Kingdom)
This limestone statue of King Djoser is one of the oldest life-sized Egyptian statues found so far. King Djoser is a 3rd dynasty ruler. A huge statue of him was discovered in a serdab and the statue depicts Djsoser wearing a long robe. One can see a moustache painted on the upper lips of the statue. The statue's eyes once had semi-precious stones in them. You can find this statue on the ground floor, gallery 48 of the museum.
Statue of Khafre
Khafre is the king who built the second-largest pyramid in Giza and the Sphinx. The statue is made of a hard diorite dark stone which symbolises his valour. This amazing statue shows him sitting on a throne decked with majestic lions, lotus and papyrus plants. The falcon god Horus is visible only from the sides of the statue. You can find this statue on the ground floor, room 42 of the museum.
Statue of Rahotep and Nofret
This statue shows Prince Rohotep and his wife Nofret at a young age. The statue is made from limestone and is life-sized. You can see Rohe Top wearing an amulet and Nofret wearing a wig in the statue. The eyes of the statues have rock crystal which gives both a realistic and strange appearance to the statue. You can find this statue on the ground floor, room 32 of the museum.
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