Nestled near the Giza Plateau, the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) is a monumental tribute to Egypt’s rich and storied past. As the world’s biggest museum devoted to the ancient Egyptian civilisation and one of the most anticipated cultural institutions in the world, the GEM is poised to become a cornerstone of global heritage and a beacon for archaeological and historical exploration.

As the anticipation mounts over its full opening, the excitement is palpable over the yet-to-be-unveiled GEM’s galleries that promise to redefine the museum experience. They are poised to immerse visitors in the wonders of ancient Egypt like never before.

A sneak peek at the museum’s main galleries this week showcased a remarkable array of antiquities offering even more in-depth explorations of Egypt’s rich ancient heritage.

Accessible from the top of the GEM’s Grand Staircase, the galleries encompass over 22,000 square metres of exhibition space divided into 12 halls showcasing more than 12,000 artefacts ranging from the Prehistoric to Roman periods. These treasures have been meticulously selected from the museum’s storerooms, as well as from other museums, archaeological sites, and storerooms across Egypt.

“The exhibition is organised chronologically from 7000 BCE to 394 CE and is structured into four broad time periods and three central themes: Kingship, Society, and Beliefs,” Al-Tayeb Abbas, assistant to the minister of tourism and antiquities for GEM archaeological affairs told the Al-Ahram Weekly.

He said this arrangement allows visitors to delve into the lives of the ancient Egyptian royal families and their subjects, explore religious belief and practices, and understand preparations for the afterlife. The exhibits reveal insights into the daily lives, aspirations, and fears of the ancient Egyptians.

The galleries have innovative exhibits designed to bring ancient Egypt to life through state-of-the-art technology, including advanced digital displays, interactive installations, and immersive environments, he said. “Visitors will be able to experience Egypt’s past through dynamic multimedia presentations that blend historical artefacts with modern storytelling techniques,” he added.

Nine digital streams with interactive and media displays are featured in the galleries, enhancing the storytelling experience with the addition of four smaller downstairs galleries or “caves” that provide focused, self-contained exhibitions that spotlight specific aspects of ancient Egyptian history.

Each gallery’s showcases and plinths are organised into interconnected storeys and sub-storeys, with clear visitor pathways designed to offer a flexible exploration of Egyptian history.

Modern bilingual labelling in Arabic and English ensures accessibility for visitors. For those seeking a quicker visit, star objects are highlighted with dark blue signage and mounts for easy identification.

“The nine digital streams are designed to create a different experience, offering ebbs and flows in the visitor journey,” Abbas said, explaining that they provide breathing spaces and downtime between the galleries where people can sit, relax, and recharge.

“Their content is related to the exhibition but offered in different ways with images, projections, videos and backlit screens,” he said.

 

Among the topics are:

- Pyramid Builders: A large-screen animation depicts a typical day in the life of the Pyramid builders at Giza.

- Houses of Eternity: Four large cubes present coloured tomb scenes from the Old Kingdom, illustrating preparations for the afterlife.

- Beni Hassan: An immersive recreation of the tomb chapel of the Middle Kingdom official Khnumhotep II is featured, with animated scenes showing figures and animals moving around the landscape.

- Book of Two Ways: A specially commissioned animation plays on a huge screen showing the journey of the deceased through the oldest known map of the underworld.

- Expedition to Punt: A large, curved screen animation illustrates a trading mission to Punt, complemented by a 3D theatre with layers of cutouts of queen Hatshepsut’s Temple set into the hillside on Luxor’s west bank. This scene is originally depicted at Hatshepsut’s Temple.

- New Kingdom Empire: In this smaller space the walls are decorated with scenes of kings defending their empire sourced from royal temples in Luxor.

- Hymn to the Aten: This is a series of projections and vertical screens depicting animations of king Akhenaten’s worship of the deity Aten synchronised with phrases from a religious text.

- Multicultural Egypt: There are vibrant scenes of a typical Graeco-Roman marketplace with animated projections of vendors and customers on glass screens, while a soundscape of different languages and general hubbub is provided to help in the recreation of the market’s original atmosphere.

- Foreign Influences: A 3D map shows migration and settlement patterns in Egypt accompanied by projections of rulers’ faces throughout the period from the end of the Old Kingdom to the Roman Empire.

“The four ‘caves’ are designed to be isolated, self-contained galleries between the main exhibition spaces and offer immersive, atmospheric experiences with a greater use of sound, atmosphere, lighting, reconstructions, projections and screens,” Abbas said.

The first cave’s theme is the priestesses of the goddess Hathor, the deity of music and fertility. Her priestesses, including queens and princesses, celebrated her cult by singing hymns, shaking rattles, and playing musical instruments during temple rituals. The exhibits relate to Hathor’s cult, including burial goods of the priestess Amunet, complemented by backlit screens and a rendition of an ancient hymn.

The second cave shows the Valley of the Kings on the west bank of the Nile at Luxor through displaying objects from royal tombs and a multimedia interpretation of the royal journey to the afterlife.

The third cave represents the Deir Al-Medina Necropolis on Luxor’s west bank and displays artefacts from the ancient village, including a reconstruction of a typical village house. Deir Al-Medina is the site of an ancient walled village and cemetery lived in by the artists who carved and decorated the tombs in the Valleys of the Kings and Queens.

The fourth cave is dedicated to the underwater cities that originally were parts of the ancient city of Alexandria but sank over time or disappeared under the Mediterranean. The cave focuses on ancient Alexandria, with animations and smaller screens showing divers exploring the sunken sites. The Lighthouse and Library of Alexandria are among the features of the cave. Smaller screens also show divers investigating the remains of sunken palaces, temples, and shipwrecks.

“The Grand Egyptian Museum’s main galleries and caves offer a comprehensive and engaging exploration of ancient Egypt, blending historical artefacts with modern technology to create a unique visitor experience,” Abbas concluded.

 

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* A version of this article appears in print in the 15 August, 2024 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly