Grand Egyptian Museum begins welcoming limited numbers of guests

The facility will host small group visits and exclusive events as it enters its initial trial phase

A statue of Ramesses II, weighing more than 80 tonnes, stands in the museum's Grand Hall. Photo: Grand Egyptian Museum

The Grand Egyptian Museum has begun welcoming a limited number of guests ahead of its official opening.

The museum is hosting small group visits and exclusive events as it tests the site’s readiness and fine-tunes the visitor experience.

Located 2km from the Pyramids of Giza, the new museum complex occupies an area of 500,000 square metres and is home to the world’s largest archaeological collection. It houses the world’s largest and most comprehensive collection of ancient Egyptian antiquities, with thousands of artefacts that date back thousands of years.

The first relic that visitors will encounter is the Hanging Obelisk, which stands in front of the museum and leads visitors to the vast Grand Hall. Here, a statue of Ramesses II, weighing more than 80 tonnes, dominates. Once fully operational, guests will also be able to see all of King Tutankhamun's treasures in one place, for the first time since the boy king's tomb was discovered in 1922.

The expansive museum complex also includes a Children’s Museum, a temporary exhibition space, a library, an education centre and a state-of-the-art conservation centre.

Another section will house office spaces, an auditorium, a conference centre, retail outlets and dining venues. Outdoor spaces include the Sculpture Garden, Palm Garden and Terrace Garden.

During this limited trial phase, the museum will be partially open to a select number of guests, who will be able to access certain attractions, including the Hanging Obelix Square, the Grand Hall, the Children’s Museum, the Immersive Hall, outdoor areas, and retail and dining outlets.

In addition to the Statue of Ramesses II, visitors to the Grand Hall will be among the first to see the 10 Statues of Senusret, the Sakkara Cannon, the victory column of Mr-N-Ptah, and the Ptolemaic King and Queen statues.

All other museum spaces, including the main galleries and the two Tutankhamun galleries, will remain closed until the site is fully operational.