The Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) began implementing a pre-booking system for entry tickets on Sunday, with specific time slots allocated for each visitor.
This aims to improve visitor flow within the museum and ensure smooth entry for both comfort and safety.
The decision to regulate museum entry by allocating specific times for Egyptians and foreigners, a practice known in the media as “quota-based” entry, has sparked widespread debate online.
Some support the quota system as a way to streamline operations and manage the high volume of tourist bookings.
Others argue that Egyptians, as the rightful owners of the land and its history, have the right to enter the museum at any time during opening hours just like foreign visitors.
Member of Parliament Freddy al-Bayady, the Vice President of the Egyptian Social Democratic Party, submitted an urgent inquiry to the Prime Minister and the Minister of Tourism and Antiquities.
Bayady objected to the decision announced by the CEO of the GEM regarding the implementation of a quota system separating tickets for Egyptians and foreigners when visiting the museum.
The decision displays clear discrimination violates an Egyptian’s right to access their heritage.
It also explicitly contravenes Article Nine of the Constitution, he stressed, which obligates the state to ensure equal opportunities for all citizens without discrimination.
‘Unacceptable’ quotas
Bayady pointed out that the thought of placing Egyptians in a separate quota or on a lower waiting list than foreigners is unacceptable, noting that this sort of practice is not found in any other museum worldwide.
He explained that international museums may organize entry by prior reservation, by limiting capacity, or through price differences, but they do not divide tickets based on nationality.
He stated that this decision a departure from all recognized professional norms.
It also harms the image of the museum globally and sends the wrong message that a citizen’s right to his country’s heritage can be restricted or postponed, he warned.
The CEO of the Grand Egyptian Museum Authority, Ahmed Ghoneim, said that the decision aims to regulate entry with specific times and quotas.
He added that the current season necessitates increasing the quota for foreign visitors, while the quota for Egyptians will be raised during the mid-year school break, noting that the number of museum visitors on Friday and Saturday exceeded 30,000, with Egyptians comprising 56 percent of the number on Friday.
Ghoneim explained that the influx exceeds that of other international museums, which prompted the implementation of the quota system due to the longer visit duration compared to other museums.
A code of conduct for visitors will soon be launched, and appropriate measures will be taken based on the type of violation, with trained security personnel present within the museum, he added.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
