Despite regional tension, Egypt's Grand Museum readies to open

Mohammed Magdy

Dec 17, 2023

A relief from the foot of the golden sarcophagus of the Egyptian Pharaoh Tutankhamun (r. 1342–1325 BC) in the restoration lab of the new Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), Giza, Sept. 21, 2019. — A relief from the foot of the golden sarcophagus of the Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun (r. 1342–1325 BC) in the restoration lab of the new Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), Giza, Sept. 21, 2019. — MOHAMED EL-SHAHED/AFP via Getty Images

CAIRO — For more than two decades, Egyptians have been waiting for the world's largest archaeological museum, the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), to open and showcase more than 100,000 of the country's ancient treasures.

Egypt's tourism minister told CNN recently that the $1 billion project is nearly ready to open in the coming months despite regional tensions.

As a soft opening this month, visitors to Egypt can whet their appetite with “Tutankhamun — The Immersive Exhibition: A Mesmerizing Journey through Ancient Egypt,” in the meantime.

The exhibition was inaugurated Nov. 21, on the occasion of the 101st anniversary of the discovery of the great pharaoh's tomb. Installed in one of the completed areas of the expansive museum complex, the show concluded on Saturday.