After the nearly two-hour ceremony, President Al-Sisi, along with the kings and heads of state participating in the ceremony, take a guided tour of the grounds of the Grand Egyptian Museum.
20:45 Singers Ahmed Ismail, in Nubian, and Haneen El-Shater, in Arabic, on the Nile.
20:35 Mirette Hanna on the piano and Amira and Mariam Abu Zahra on the violin.
20:20 Egyptian sopranos Fatima Said and Raggaeddin deliver impassioned performances to the guests at the grand opening!
20:15 President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi gifted world leaders attending the historic event a granite model GEM in commemoration of the landmark occasion.
20:00 President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi delivers a message of global peace as he officially inaugurates the Grand Egyptian Museum.
"This magnificent edifice is not just a place; it is a living testament to the genius of the Egyptian people who built the pyramids and inscribed their story on the walls."
President El-Sisi added that Egypt is the oldest nation known to history.
“Here, civilization took its first steps, and the world witnessed the birth of art, thought and writing. Egypt has inspired all the peoples of the earth, and from the banks of the Nile, civilization and human progress have shone forth."
President El-Sisi added that civilizations are built in times of peace and flourish through the spirit of cooperation among nations.
"Today, we are writing a new chapter in the history of the present and the future. This is the largest museum in the world dedicated to a single civilization, the great civilization of Egypt,” he added.
"The opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum stands as a living testament to the genius of the Egyptian people."
19:45 Shereen Ahmed performs!
Shereen made history as the first actress/singer of Egyptian descent to play the leading role of Eliza Doolittle in the timeless musical, My Fair Lady, on Broadway.
Sherihan performs!
The iconic Egyptian actress/singer mesmerised audiences in Egypt and the Arab World with her immortal Ramadan riddles for years.
Renowned Islamic chanter Ehab Younnis performs!
19:22 Drones captured the brilliant orchestra which made a great contribution to the success of the show tonight.
19:20 President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and First Lady Entissar El-Sisi welcomed world leaders to the inauguration of the Grand Egyptian Museum event.
19:00 Former Egyptian culture minister, Farouk Hosni, renowned Egyptian surgeon Magdi Yacoub, and UNESCO director-general Khaled El-Anany, deliver brief opening statements to usher in the grand opening.
The orchestra plays selections from international compositions as actors dressed in ancient Egyptian attires return from deep in history with the backdrop of the Great Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx.
18:00 President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi has arrived at the GEM for its historic grand opening.
The Egyptian presidency had announced the participation of 79 official delegations, including 39 led by kings, princes, and heads of state and government, in addition to representatives of international bodies.
17:30 TikTok will be livestreaming the grand opening of the GEM starting at 18:00 GM2 +2
17:20 Egyptian embassies around the world, including Washington, London, and Moscow, are hosting receptions to livestream the grand opening of the GEM.
17:15 The First Lady of Egypt, Entissar El-Sisi, posted on her Facebook account a welcome to the guests who will be attending the grand opening of the GEM.
17:00 The Minister of Culture of Brazil, Margareth Menezes, is representing her country on behalf of President Lula da Silva at the opening ceremony of GEM.
In an exclusive interview, Menezes told Ahram Online that Egypt has always been a premier global destination because of its immense cultural heritage and the Opening of the GEM will be a monumental step that will bring great benefits to the country.
"Egypt has always been a premier global destination because of its immense cultural heritage. This heritage has long attracted not only tourists and researchers but also fostered business and international partnerships. The opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum will powerfully solidify the catalyzing role that culture has always played for Egypt. It is a monumental step that I believe will channel global interest into even greater benefits for the Egyptian people."
16:30 The opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) has sparked a wave of national euphoria across social media, turning digital platforms into a vibrant celebration of Egypt’s ancient heritage.
A sweeping online phenomenon has captured the spirit of a nation reconnecting with its pharaonic roots, with Egyptians, from ordinary users to public figures and celebrities, sharing photos and videos of themselves in ancient-inspired attire.
16:20 Palestinian-Algerian actress Nesreen Tafesh posted on Instagram: "Congratulations to Egypt, the land of great history and culture."
"I'm a huge fan of ancient Egyptian civilization, and I always feel like I once lived in the time of the pharaohs. 🥰"
16:15 Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said the opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) represents the realization of a dream that has long inspired generations of Egyptians.
“This dream that we all shared and wondered whether it would ever come true—to see this monumental project become a reality and open its doors to the world as a gift from a nation whose history extends over 7,000 years, a nation that embodies the essence of all civilizations throughout human history,” Madbouly said.
Recalling the museum’s beginnings, the Prime Minister explained that the idea of establishing the Grand Egyptian Museum dates back nearly 30 years, when Egypt initiated preliminary studies and launched an international competition to select the museum’s design. Construction began, but the project faced delays after 2011.
He added that it was President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi’s directive to resume and complete the project “in the best possible form, reflecting Egypt’s cultural and civilizational identity.”
“When work resumed, only a small portion of the project had been completed,” Madbouly said.
“Therefore, the majority of the construction, finishing, and development that brought this world-class edifice to life took place over the past seven to eight years.”
The Prime Minister expressed deep appreciation to all who contributed to the museum’s completion “from those who conceived the idea to everyone involved in its execution", stressing that Egypt once again offers the world a monumental gift symbolizing the greatness and timelessness of its civilization."
Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouli, speaks to the press prior to the official opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) in Giza, on the southwestern outskirts of the capital Cairo. AFP
16:00 Long before world leaders and cameras arrive at the Grand Egyptian Museum, thousands of Egyptian workers, engineers, conservators, carpenters, metalworkers, lighting specialists, stone restorers and site labourers have spent years shaping the country’s most ambitious cultural project from the ground up.
15:42 During a press conference ahead of the opening ceremony, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly announced that the vast majority of the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) project's implementation has been carried out over the past seven or eight years.
He added that the project's original inception was 30 years ago, but it halted in 2011.
15:35 Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty welcomed his Danish counterpart, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, to attend the inauguration of the Great Egyptian Museum (GEM).
The Danish minister presented him with a Lego model of the Giza pyramids.
Rasmussen stated on his Instagram account that he considered the gift "a fitting present for the opening of the GEM," adding that Abdelatty was "very pleased with this model of the Great Pyramid."
Abdelatty took the opportunity to acknowledge the participation of Queen Mary of Denmark in this historic event. He also warmly welcomed "the sustained pace of high-level visits exchanged between the two countries."
15:30 Health Ministry finalized a comprehensive medical security plan for the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) opening, attended by President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and several world leaders.
The plan, supervised by Health Minister Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar, includes a central crisis room for rapid response, a fully equipped medical clinic, eight ambulances, two medical scooters, and eight rescue teams inside the museum. Around it, 15 ambulances are stationed nearby and 50 more cover main routes, supported by mobile medical units and specialized vehicles for critical care.
Three hospitals, including Sheikh Zayed Specialized and Al-Haram, are designated for emergency transfers.
The ministry said these measures reflect Egypt’s commitment to international health standards and full readiness for this global event.
15:21 Here are four things to discover in the Grand Egyptian Museum, which spans 24,000 square metres of permanent exhibition space and showcases tens of thousands of artefacts from the country’s ancient civilisation.
1- The Grand Staircase
The museum is built around a monumental staircase lined with colossal statues and sarcophagi, rising six storeys to a vast glass window framing the Giza pyramids. At the top, twelve galleries unfold 5,000 years of history, from prehistoric Egypt to the Roman era.
2- Statue of Ramses II
An 11-metre granite statue of Ramses the Great stands in the entrance atrium, greeting visitors. The pharaoh, who ruled more than 3,000 years ago, is one of Ancient Egypt’s most iconic rulers. After a long journey of relocations since its discovery in 1820, the GEM will now serve as the statue’s final home.
king Ramses II on display at Grand Egyptian Museum’s safe.
3- Treasures of Tutankhamun
For the first time since Howard Carter uncovered the tomb in 1922, all 5,400 objects from Tutankhamun’s burial collection will be displayed together. The gold sarcophagus and the famed burial mask, inlaid with precious stones, will form the centrepieces of the dedicated gallery.
Photo courtesy of COSI website.
4- Solar Boats
A purpose-built structure houses the 4,600-year-old solar boat of Pharaoh Khufu, one of the oldest wooden vessels ever discovered. Unearthed in 1954 beside the Great Pyramid, the 44-metre boat has been restored and reassembled. A second vessel, found in 1987, is currently being conserved in a glass-walled laboratory where visitors can watch the restoration process live.
A Solar boat. Photo courtesy of Memphistours website.
15:17 Egypt’s Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly met with Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike and a Japanese delegation, stressing the “historic strength of relations between Egypt and Japan” and praising Japan’s financial and technical support for the GEM, which he described as a cultural gift “Egypt presents to the world.”
Madbouly also met with Akihiko Tanaka, President of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), who is in Cairo for the opening of the museum. Cooperation on the project began in 2006 when JICA provided its first concessional loan, followed by additional funding in 2016 to continue construction.
Tanaka said that the participation of Japanese experts in the restoration of artefacts “has been a major opportunity for collaboration,” and confirmed that Japan will continue supporting Egypt in preserving its cultural heritage.
Two new technical cooperation projects will commence after the inauguration: one focused on museum operations and management, and another supporting the Conservation Centre, enabling it to become an international hub for scientific research.
14:39 Egypt’s Minister of Finance Ahmed Kouchouk said the inauguration of the GEM marks a turning point in the country’s modern history, describing it not only as a cultural landmark but also as “an exceptional model for tourism, investment, and economic promotion.”
He argued that the museum’s scale, design, and unparalleled collection make it a strategic national asset capable of generating long-term economic and developmental returns for Egypt.
According to the minister, the project marks a “qualitative leap” on the global tourism map, thanks to the diversity and historical weight of its artefacts and the use of modern display technologies. He framed the museum as a shift in economic thinking: turning Egypt’s ancient heritage into new economic resources and opportunities.
Kouchouk said the GEM also strengthens Egypt’s investment landscape by demonstrating the country’s ability to deliver large-scale cultural and commercial projects in partnership with international and private-sector actors. “It is an inspiring experience of fruitful partnership with the private sector,” he said, adding that the model offers sustainable economic returns and encourages foreign direct investment.
The opening, he continued, provides “a powerful boost” to the diversification of Egypt’s economy and tourism sector, enhancing both competitiveness and global appeal.
14:34 The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) regional office in Cairo has praised the long-awaited opening of the GEM, describing it as a pivotal moment in Egypt’s ongoing efforts to safeguard and celebrate its cultural legacy.
In an official statement, the office affirmed that the museum embodies “Egypt’s deep commitment to protecting its past, while shaping a future-oriented vision for heritage, education, and sustainable development.”
UNESCO noted that it has supported the project since its early stages, contributing to the museum’s development as “a global centre for culture, science, and innovation.”
According to the statement, the museum acts as a “bridge linking history and modernity,” offering new opportunities for dialogue among civilizations.
14:29 The Egyptian Ministry of Local Development has invested EGP 519 million ($11 million) to upgrade the area surrounding the GEM as part of preparations for its inauguration, according to a ministry statement.
The works included upgrading major roads such as the Cairo–Alexandria Desert Road, improving public lighting, rehabilitating building façades, and increasing green spaces.
13:33 Akihiko Tanaka, President of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), lauded the GEM as a magnificent cultural project of vital importance not only to the Egyptian people but to all of humanity.
In a TV interview with Extra News, he noted that the museum’s official opening will significantly enhance Egypt’s global cultural role, complementing its established political and regional influence.
The JICA president added that the GEM is poised to attract visitors from across the globe, including Japan, expressing his country’s pride in participating in this project.
13:05 International delegations attending the GEM opening have arrived in Cairo, according to Al Qahera News channel.
11:59 Egyptian municipal authorities have installed giant screens in major squares and tourist areas across the country to broadcast the celebratory events.
The move aims to enable citizens and tourists to participate in the occasion in public spaces.
The 187-metre-tall Cairo Tower will also be illuminated with the Egyptian flag to mark the museum’s opening.
10:39 Egyptian authorities have issued a collection of commemorative coins and postage stamps to mark the opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM).
The special releases aim to celebrate Egypt’s ancient civilization, strengthen national identity, and document what officials describe as a historic milestone.
The commemorative coin series includes six denominations, 1, 5, 10, 25, 50, and 100 Egyptian pounds, each featuring prominent architectural elements and artefacts from the museum.
Designs include the Hanging Obelisk, King Khufu’s solar boats, the statue of King Ramses II, and the golden mask of Tutankhamun.
A set of high-precision, counterfeit-proof stamps has also been issued, depicting the museum’s façade and iconic statues.
The stamps incorporate QR code technology, giving collectors and researchers access to interactive content about the occasion, blending authenticity with modern innovation.
10:30 President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi welcomed international leaders and dignitaries to Egypt ahead of the official inauguration of the GEM, describing the venue as a landmark that unites the heritage of ancient Egypt with the creativity of the present.
In a Facebook post, El-Sisi said the museum, located near the Pyramids of Giza, houses “the vast treasures of Egypt’s ancient civilization” and “will attract all those who cherish civilization and knowledge.”
“From the blessed land of Egypt, the cradle of human civilization, I welcome our distinguished guests—the leaders and eminent dignitaries of the world—as we gather together to witness the inauguration of the Grand Egyptian Museum, which contains within its walls the vast treasures of Egypt’s ancient civilization,” he said.
He expressed hope that the GEM would stand as “a source of pride to every believer in the unity of humanity and in the values of peace, love, and cooperation among nations.”
El-Sisi concluded by wishing the visiting delegations an enjoyable stay in Egypt, “where the past and present meet.”
10:13 Security forces have been deployed along key roads and intersections in Cairo and Giza as part of a comprehensive plan by the Ministry of Interior to secure the GEM opening ceremony and maintain smooth traffic flow during the historic event.
The plan includes intensified patrols along the main routes leading to Giza, including Fayoum Road, the 26th of July Corridor, and the Ring Road, as well as the activation of surveillance cameras and on-the-ground operations rooms to monitor movement in real-time and ensure a rapid response to any emergency.
So far, traffic has remained steady across streets, squares, and major thoroughfares in both Cairo and Giza, with no notable congestion observed on main roads or highways.
09:50 One of the museum’s greatest attractions will be the complete collection from the intact tomb of the boy king Tutankhamun, displayed in full for the first time since its discovery by British Egyptologist Howard Carter.
Among the treasures are Tutankhamun’s iconic gold funerary mask, gilded throne, ceremonial chariots, and hundreds of personal objects buried with him more than 3,300 years ago.
09:30 The opening ceremony will be broadcast live on Egyptian television networks in Arabic, English, and French. It will also be livestreamed on TikTok, bringing the moment to a global audience in real time.
09:00 The opening ceremony of the GEM is scheduled to begin at 7pm. Cairo time, unfolding over 90 minutes before the doors shift from spectacle to exclusivity, allowing presidents and distinguished guests a walk through its vast halls and treasures.
The museum will open its doors to the public on 4 November 2025.
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