In a significant development, Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly has revealed on Thursday that the doors to the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) will begin to open on a limited basis next Wednesday.
This marks the start of a trial period during which select areas and halls of the museum will be accessible to visitors.
The Prime Minister, while on a visit to Luxor, assured the public that the entire museum will be unveiled in phases leading up to its official inauguration. He underscored the museum’s status as a global treasure, presented as a gift from Egypt to the world.
Constructed on approximately 500,000 square meters, the new GEM is located nearby the Giza Pyramids and will house the world’s largest antiquities collection belonging to a single culture’s heritage.
The GEM is set to showcase 5,000 relics from Tutankhamun’s collection as well — including 2,000 artifacts displayed for the first time.
The museum includes huge exhibition halls, and is distinguished by its proximity to the Giza pyramids area and the New Administrative Capital, which makes it a gateway to Egypt’s past, present and future.
It is expected to attract about five million tourists.
Egypt has put into place a plan to beautify the roads leading to the GEM, which includes the creation of a new tourist walkway to the Giza Pyramids.
Development in the area continues and extends from the Shooting Club area, passing through the Cairo-Alexandria Desert Road to Sphinx Airport as well as the Fayoum Road.
