People visit the Egyptian Grand Museum near the Giza pyramids in Cairo. AFP
The GEM CEO, Ahmed Ghoneim, confirmed that a recent surge of 27,000 visitors in a single day led to the museum closing its doors early on Friday, 7 November, at 1:30 pm.
In a phone interview with MBC Masr, Ghoneim explained that the museum's optimal daily capacity is between 15,000 and 20,000 visitors.
Both the online booking platform and the on-site ticket office will remain operational, but entry will be halted once the daily limit is reached.
Ghoneim said visitor stay times vary widely, noting that while some spend just two hours at the museum, others stay all day, especially with GEM’s other attractions such as the Children’s Museum, cafés, and restaurants.
“Starting next Sunday, we will implement the time-slot system to control visitor entry. However, we cannot control when people leave,” he said, adding that this will be a key step in managing capacity.
As of Sunday, visitors will be required to book their tickets in advance for a specific time slot via the GEM official website.
As previously announced, the GEM on-site ticket office will cease sales on weekends and holidays to prevent overcrowding, with a plan for online booking to become the exclusive method for purchasing museum tickets throughout the week—including weekends and public holidays—starting 1 December.
Addressing rumors that 80 percent of the museum's capacity is reserved for foreign tourists, Ghoneim firmly denied this, stating that at a recent event with 15,200 visitors, Egyptians made up 56 percent.
He further clarified that the visitor mix fluctuates, typically ranging between 40 percent and 60 percent for each group depending on the season.
The foreign share tends to rise during tourism seasons, while the Egyptian share increases during local holidays such as the mid-year break.
Ghoneim revealed that the museum will soon print a code of conduct on tickets, reminding visitors not to touch artefacts, take inappropriate photographs, or stream live videos inside the galleries.
This decision comes after an increase in social media posts showing visitors violating museum rules, such as touching artefacts or speaking loudly.
Ghoneim emphasized that any violations will be addressed according to the severity of the offence.
He also called for a nationwide effort to raise awareness about the importance of respecting Egypt's cultural heritage.
Located near the iconic Pyramids of Giza, the GEM is the largest museum in the world dedicated to a single civilisation: ancient Egypt.
It displays around 10,000 priceless artefacts, including the entire Tutankhamun collection of more than 5,400 pieces, shown together for the first time in a single hall.
The museum was officially inaugurated on 1 November in a ceremony attended by 79 official delegations, including 39 led by kings, princes, and heads of state and government.
The public opening on 4 November coincided with the 100th anniversary of the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb, giving the occasion added historical and cultural significance.
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