A Dream Decades in the Making: The Grand Egyptian Museum Rises Beside the Pyramids

The idea of building the Grand Egyptian Museum was first conceived in the 1990s. In 2002, the foundation stone was laid for what would become one of Egypt’s most ambitious cultural projects — a monumental museum overlooking the timeless Pyramids of Giza.

Under the patronage of UNESCO and the International Union of Architects, Egypt launched a global architectural competition for the design of the museum. The winning concept came from the Irish firm Heneghan Peng Architects, whose vision was inspired by the rays of sunlight extending from the peaks of the three pyramids, converging to form the museum’s striking conical structure.

Construction began in May 2005, with site preparation and groundwork paving the way for what would soon become the largest antiquities conservation center in the Middle East, established in 2006. Dedicated to restoring, preserving, and preparing artifacts for display, the center officially opened in 2010.

However, the 2011 Revolution and subsequent events caused delays in the project. In 2016, Prime Ministerial Decree No. 2795 formally established the Grand Egyptian Museum Authority, which was later reorganized under Law No. 9 of 2020 as an independent economic entity reporting to the Minister of Antiquities.

President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi issued a decree forming the Museum’s Board of Trustees, chaired by himself and comprising distinguished Egyptian and international figures. The board oversees the museum’s strategic direction and operations, while the management board, led by the Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, includes key executives and experts in archaeology, economics, law, international cooperation, and marketing.

By 2021, construction of the museum’s massive 300,000-square-meter complex was completed. Each of its exhibition halls rivals the size of entire museums elsewhere, reflecting Egypt’s vision to create a world-class cultural landmark.

Today, the Grand Egyptian Museum stands as one of Egypt’s greatest modern achievements — a global hub for heritage, culture, and education. It is the largest museum in the world dedicated to a single civilization, showcasing thousands of unique artifacts that tell the story of ancient Egypt. Among its treasures are the complete collection of King Tutankhamun’s tomb, displayed in full for the first time since its discovery in 1922, along with the Queen Hetepheres collection, the Khufu Boat Museum, and artifacts spanning from pre-dynastic times to the Greco-Roman era.

The museum also houses cultural and educational facilities, including a children’s museum, learning center, temporary exhibition halls, cinema, conference center, and vast commercial areas with shops, cafés, and restaurants surrounded by lush gardens. In April 2021, a contract was signed with the Hassan Allam Alliance to operate visitor services, bringing together leading Egyptian and international companies with expertise in business management, marketing, hospitality, and quality assurance.

Dr. Eissa Zidan, Director of Restoration and Antiquities Transfer at the museum, recalled

“We’ve been working on this project for many years. Until 2016, only about 16% was completed. When President El-Sisi assigned the project to the Armed Forces Engineering Authority, the progress was remarkable. Within just seven years, the completion rate soared to 98%. The museum was ready before 2022, and after the trial operations, its grand opening was officially set for November 1, 2025.”