In a highly anticipated moment for both Egypt and the global archaeological community, the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) was scheduled to hold its soft opening on Wednesday, marking a significant milestone in the preservation and presentation of Egypt’s unparalleled cultural heritage.

Situated just two km from the Great Pyramids on the Giza Plateau outside Cairo, the GEM is set to be the world’s largest archaeological museum dedicated to a single civilisation, namely the ancient Egyptian civilisation.

The soft opening provides a peek into the museum’s grandeur and a taste of what visitors can expect once its doors are fully open. It is welcoming visitors to an exclusive preview of its main galleries and iconic treasures, as well as to the Atrium and Grand Staircase which were previously open to public.

The Tutankhamun galleries will remain closed until the grand opening of the whole museum.

The museum’s main galleries offer visitors an unprecedented journey through the ancient Egyptian civilisation spanning from around 7000 BCE to 394 CE. The galleries present this civilisation’s history through a rich tapestry of ancient treasures and archaeological collections meticulously designed to tell the long story of ancient Egypt.

With 12 galleries organised into four broad time periods and three thematic pillars of Society, Kingship, and Beliefs, visitors are invited to explore Egyptian history in multiple ways. Whether choosing to move chronologically or thematically, or combining both, each visitor can create a unique and personalised journey through Egypt’s past.

“The galleries offer an immersive experience into the lives of Egyptian people—kings, queens, and commoners alike,” Eltayeb Abbas, assistant to the minister of antiquities for GEM archaeological affairs, told Al-Ahram Weekly.

He said that from the daily routines of prehistoric hunter-gatherers to the burial preparations of great warrior kings, the exhibits reveal how the ancient Egyptians lived, worshipped, and prepared for their journey into the afterlife. Magnificent objects, such as royal jewellery, ceremonial items, and everyday tools provide a glimpse into their beliefs, hopes, and fears, as well as the complex social structures that defined their society.

The society theme highlights the daily lives of various groups within ancient Egypt, from hunter-gatherers and farmers to scribes, priests, and government officials. Through carefully curated artefacts—furniture, tools, and personal items—the exhibition brings to life the contrast between the lifestyles of the rich and those of the poor.

It also focuses on the innovations that shaped ancient Egyptian society, offering insights into the agricultural, and cultural advances that transformed the country over thousands of years.

The Kingship theme traces the evolving role of Egypt’s kings and queens over more than 3,000 years of the Dynastic Periods. Beginning with the Early Dynastic Period, the section illustrates how royal power and influence grew, culminating in Egypt’s establishment as one of the world’s largest empires. Visitors can explore the rise and fall of the royal Dynasties, from the establishment of centralised authority to the eventual decline of Egypt as it became a province under the Roman Empire.

In the Beliefs theme, Abbas said, the galleries delve into the spiritual and religious world of ancient Egypt. This section explores the pantheon of Egypt’s gods and goddesses, their temples, and the divine cults that shaped Egyptian religion. Visitors can also learn about complex funerary rituals, including the construction of tombs and burial complexes, as well as about the various objects and equipment—such as canopic jars and shabti figures—that accompanied the dead into the afterlife.

Through these exhibits, the profound connection between religion and governance in ancient Egypt becomes evident.

“The main galleries at the GEM offer an extraordinary journey through Egypt’s rich history, providing visitors with an in-depth understanding of how one of the world’s greatest civilisations lived, ruled, and believed. Whether focused on Society, Kingship, or Beliefs, each gallery invites visitors to step into the daily lives, monumental reigns, and spiritual realms of the ancient Egyptians,” Abbas said.

KEY ARTEFACTS: Each gallery highlights key artefacts and treasures from different periods of Egypt’s history, providing a glimpse into the lives, beliefs, and innovations of the ancient Egyptians.

Abbas said that the first three galleries cover the earliest periods of Egyptian history, from the Prehistoric Period to the end of the First Intermediate Period. Among the highlights is the Tel Farqa Collection, which features golden figures of a local ruler and his son. Visitors will also find finely crafted tools from the Copper Tomb, vessels from the Pyramid of King Djoser, and royal items such as furniture, vessels, and coffins from the burial of Queen Hetepheres.

Notable as well are ritual boats from the tomb of Queen Nieth, offering insights into ancient royal burial customs.

The fourth, fifth, and sixth galleries of the GEM explore Egypt’s Middle Kingdom and the Second Intermediate Period. Highlights include the colourful jewellery of Queen Khenemetneferhedjet Weret II and exotic silver, gold, lapis lazuli, and pottery vessels imported from Minoan Greece, Anatolia, and the Levant.

Visitors can admire the chapel of King Mentuhotep II, stelae dedicated to the god Osiris from Abydos, and new styles of tomb models, coffins, and burial goods, including the famous collection from the burial of Governor Mesehti.

The seventh, eighth, and ninth galleries are dedicated to the New Kingdom, showcasing the glory of Egypt’s expanding empire. On display are statues, documents, and personal items belonging to viziers, soldiers, and priests who played key roles in managing Egypt’s dominion.

Among the treasures are statues of High Priest Ramessesnakht, protected by the god Thoth, and High Priest Meryre alongside his wife Iniuy. Visitors can marvel at monumental statues of King Ramses II, temple scenes from the religious capital of Amarna, enigmatic objects from royal tombs, and objects from elite burials across Egypt.

The final three galleries span from the Third Intermediate Period through the Graeco-Roman era. Highlights include furniture and artefacts from farming towns in the Fayoum, new vessel styles used by the elite, and numerous statues of priests dedicated to the Temple of Amun at Karnak.

Visitors can also see the exquisite coffins of priests and priestesses of Amun from Bab Al-Gasus, the Dendera Treasure Hoard of cult objects, and temple furniture and tools made of copper and bronze, which were used in vast underground animal cemeteries at Saqqara.

The main galleries will also take visitors on an immersive journey through Egypt’s rich history, enhanced by state-of-the-art digital displays and interactive installations.

Each of the 12 galleries features cutting-edge technology that brings history to life.

“Digital media, interactive exhibits, and immersive environments are integrated into the displays to enhance the storytelling experience,” Abbas said. Visitors can expect dynamic multimedia presentations that combine historical artefacts with modern narrative techniques, making the journey through Egypt’s past engaging and interactive.

Among the notable features are nine digital streams that offer interactive displays, including large-scale animations, recreations of tomb scenes, and multimedia interpretations of significant historical events.

Some key highlights include: Pyramid Builders, being a large-screen animation depicting a typical day for workers at the Giza Pyramids; Houses of Eternity, or tomb scenes from the Old Kingdom showcasing burial preparations; the Expedition to Punt, a curved-screen animation illustrating an ancient trading mission; the Book of Two Ways, an animation based on the oldest known map of the underworld; and Multicultural Egypt, an animated recreation of a Graeco-Roman marketplace.

In addition to the main galleries, four smaller, self-contained galleries referred to as “caves” offer immersive experiences that delve deeper into specific aspects of ancient Egyptian history. These include themes like the priestesses of Hathor, royal tombs in the Valley of the Kings, and the underwater cities of ancient Alexandria, with multimedia displays and reconstructions bringing these stories to life.

VISITOR EXPERIENCE: The GEM’s unique blend of historical artefacts and modern technology offers visitors a fresh, engaging way to experience ancient Egypt.

As Abbas notes, the main galleries and their digital innovations ensure that the GEM will provide an unparalleled exploration of Egypt’s past, setting a new standard for museums worldwide.

Atef Moftah, Supervisor Generl of GEM Project and surrounding area explained that the guests can also explore the museum’s gardens, see a spectacular hanging obelisk inscribed with the names and titles of Ramses II, enjoy a commercial area where a range of restaurants, cafés, and shops are located, walk through the atrium where the colossus of Ramses II and a selection of objects among them the Meneptah’s victory column, ten seated statues of King Senosert and two colossi of a Ptolemaic king and queen are located.

The Grand Staircase, also open to the public, is a vertical gallery and key pathway in the museum. It can be taken to different floors via steps, travellators, and elevators, ending with a panoramic view of the Great Pyramids.

The space is approximately 6,500 m2. Large statues and other objects related to kingship will impress by their scale and magnificence. They are displayed in different but related themes, including Royal Image, Kings and Gods, Divine Houses, and Journey to Eternity.

Among the distinguished artefacts exhibited on the Grand Staircase are the red granite colossus of King Seti I, a statue of Queen Hatshepsut, a statue of the Roman Emperor Caracalla, and a series of pillars and columns, naos (small shrines), niches and the tops of obelisks dedicated to several ancient Egyptian royalties.

The museum’s Tutankhamun galleries and the Khufu Boats Museum remain closed until the official grand opening. These sections will house more of ancient Egypt’s rich treasures, showcasing the nation’s unparalleled ancient history.

The GEM will showcase the complete funerary collection of the golden boy-king Tutankhamun, comprising over 5,700 objects. Divided into themes of Identity, Lifestyle, Funeral, Rebirth, and Discovery, many of these treasures have never been seen by the public before. The king’s outermost coffin and mummified remains will also be housed at the museum.

Eissa Zidan, director of Restoration and the Transfer of Antiquities at the GEM, said that the Khufu Boats Museum, a separate building, will exhibit two ancient boats discovered near the Great Pyramid. One of these boats was transferred to the GEM in 2021 from its original location neighbouring Khufu’s Pyramid on the Giza Plateau, while the second boat whose wooden beams and metal accessories were lifted out of its original pit in the plateau and taken to the GEM, is currently undergoing restoration.

The reassembly of the second boat and its display beside its twin at the Khufu Boats Museum is to be carried out by an Egyptian-Japanese expert team.

“To enhance the visitor experience, the reassembling of the boat will be carried out by Japanese-Egyptian restorers live at its display location at the museum,” Zidan told the Weekly, adding that the assembly will be featured on the tour of the GEM, allowing visitors to admire the boat and watch the restoration work carried out live before them.

The work will likely take almost four years of hard and accurate restoration. “It is exceptional and challenging work,” he added.

The GEM’s world-class research and conservation facilities are also a leader in heritage preservation. Along with the cutting-edge technology used to protect the museum’s artefacts, the GEM is set to offer an unparalleled visitor experience that blends ancient history with modern innovations.

* A version of this article appears in print in the 17 October, 2024 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly