(Photos: Bassam Alzoghby)
Designed by architect Sohier Saleh, the Adam Henein Museum opened on 18 January 2014 in Cairo's Al-Harraniya district.
It houses the largest—and ever-growing—collection of Henein’s sculptures, as well as a selection of his paintings.
A common occurrence in the international art scene but a first for Egypt, the museum was initiated and funded by the artist himself and built on the same land where Henein lived.
The three-story museum displays more than 4,000 works by Adam Henein, including sculptures, paintings, and a small sketchbook containing his thoughts and writings. It also features a sculpture garden showcasing several of his granite and bronze works.
Henein essentially gifted his life’s work to the people instead of selling it, a priceless offering from the artist himself to the country. The museum's visiting hours are 10am to 4pm, and it will welcome visitors free of charge from 1 to 7 November.
Adam Henein
Adam Henein (1929–2020) was one of Egypt’s most renowned sculptors and painters, celebrated for his modern reinterpretation of ancient Egyptian artistic traditions.
Born in Cairo, he studied at the School of Fine Arts and later in Paris, where he developed his distinctive minimalist sculptural style. His works often drew inspiration from Pharaonic forms, animals, and everyday Egyptian life, blending simplicity with profound symbolism.
Henein’s work has been exhibited in Egypt, the Arab world, Europe, and the United States. With his pieces displayed in some of the world’s finest museums, including New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Louvre in Paris, his exhibitions earned him international recognition and numerous awards.
He also played a key role in restoring the Great Sphinx of Giza during the 1990s. His legacy continues through the Adam Henein Museum in Harraniya, which houses thousands of his works spanning more than fifty years.
Grand Egyptian Museum
The celebratory opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) is scheduled for 1 November.
The museum represents a global cultural, civilizational, and touristic landmark that highlights the greatness of Egyptian heritage.
Spanning 500,000 square metres, GEM—with its trapezoidal architectural design and distinctive external walls—offers an expansive panoramic view of the Giza Plateau.
It houses objects from ancient Egypt from prehistory to the early Roman period and will showcase the unique treasures of the boy king Tutankhamun, some of which will be displayed for the first time.
Short link: