Wandering The Amazing Grand Egyptian Museum In Cairo In Egypt

Wandering The Amazing Grand Egyptian Museum In Cairo In Egypt

We had so many great discoveries wandering the amazing Grand Egyptian Museum in Cairo. It was a great way to begin this visit to Cairo and our Viking Cruises Nile River trip.

The Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) is a massive new museum located near the Giza pyramids. The majority of construction was completed and the museum was opened in sections starting in 2023. It is the largest global archaeological museum dedicated to ancient Egyptian civilization containing artifacts covering various periods in Egyptian history. Today, there are still parts of the museum being finished and a new 3km pathway will eventually connect the museum to the Giza pyramids. 

We visited the amazing Grand Egyptian Museum on our own first. And then, we got a second chance to visit when we joined our Viking group in Cairo. This group tour was short and provided a cursory route through the museum before we were left to wander on our own. We knew which parts of the museum we wanted to re-visit. But we were glad we planned a longer visit on our own.

Planning A Visit To The Grand Egyptian Museum

We planned to visit the Grand Egyptian Museum on the first few days we had on our own on our visit to Cairo. We knew to book our tickets in advance because we wanted the first time slot of the day at 8:30. In April we had no trouble booking just a few days before we wanted to visit. But in busy season, we knew we might need to book much further in advance.

When we checked the website, there we found a warning about backpacks and water bottles. So we packed just what we could carry and ditched our water bottles at the entrance. On further investigation we learned that the limitation was for large backpacks. And there seemed to be no concern about water bottles. Although we learned that the water filling stations in the GEM while filtered might still not be good for foreign tender tummies!

The GEM was not walkable from our hotel in Cairo, so we planned to travel by Uber.  Checking in advance, the drive time in the morning was about 30 minutes. We left a little early but when our Uber driver mis-judged morning traffic and routing our trip took us well over an hour. This was our first but not last bad experience with Cairo traffic.  

While we were a bit late for our entry slot, we had no trouble getting in. The lines early in the day were small. And it was great to get some early photos without the massive crowds we saw later in the day. We did our research in advance and had some idea of what we wanted to see. On our visit, we opted not to get a guide or audio device for our visit.

Starting Our Visit To The GEM

After we went through security, we got our first view of the front of the Grand Egyptian Museum. In the front courtyard, we stopped at the hanging obelisk. This is the world’s first suspended obelisk. The obelisk was originally erected by Pharaoh Ramesses II. The fragments were re-assembled and re-imagined as this unique entry exhibit at the GEM.

Entering the museum we went through another set of gates and took in the stunning 6 storey open atrium lobby area. The central piece in the lobby was a massive 3,200 year old colossus statue of Ramesses II (11 m or 36 feet) beside a small reflecting pool. It originally stood in the temple of god Ptah at Memphis.

We were excited with this first glimpse on our amazing Grand Egyptian Museum visit.

Up And Down The Grand Staircase

The first major treat when we entered the Grand Egyptian Museum was the Grand Staircase. From the bottom, we saw that there were multiple exhibits all the way up the stairs. There were 60 colossal ancient Egyptian statues and architectural relics displayed. A set of escalators went up beside the Grand Staircase. But walking up or down the stairs gave us a chance to look closer at this first set of stunning museum pieces.

The statues on the Grand Staircase showed a wide variety of kings, queens and gods. They showed the divine relationship between ancient Egyptian gods and their rulers. 

The stairway also explored the journey to eternity. We found artifacts reflecting the afterlife. Sarcophagi and pyramid elements were felt to be critical for safe passage into the next world.

We learned that in ancient Egypt, the lion and the sphinx were powerful, intertwined symbols of divine kingship, strength, and protection. We found the sphinx sculpture and saw the mythical creature with a lion’s body and a human head. The sphinx of Amenemhat III represented the pharaoh’s supreme power. When we visited the Giza pyramids, we saw the amazing Sphinx sculpture in colossus size. Lions were often used to symbolize the fierce, untamed forces of the sun and the gods.

As we wandered up and down the Grand Staircase at amazing Grand Egyptian Museum we were excited to continue on to the exhibits on the upper levels. 

Marvelling At The Tomb Of King Tutankhamun

When we reached the top floor, we found one whole section dedicated the boy king Tutankhamun’s. The complete collection displayed over 5,000 artifacts from King Tutankhamun’s intact tomb. 

The gem in this area was King Tut’s ceremonial gold mask. The mask covered the head and shoulders. And was meant to protect the head of the deceased after death. The royal headdress had a cobra and a vulture on the forehead which represented the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt. This was the most popular exhibit so guests were queued into lines for a quick walk past.

We were fascinated when we saw massive chariots made of wood covered with a gold leaf with decoration in glass or semi-precious stones. They were found in the tomb in pieces but were re-assembled for the museum display. Reliefs we saw when we visited the temples on the Nile River showed King Tut riding his chariot.

King Tut’s inner gold coffin was amazing to behold. This was the innermost of three coffins. The outer two coffins were made of gilded wood. But this innermost coffin cradling the pharaoh’s mummy was cast in solid gold.

We were fascinated as we walked through the King Tutankhamun. The artifacts covered such an interesting range. It was hard to imagine all of this buried with the king and finally recovered in such amazing shape.

The King Tutankhamun exhibit was definitely the highlight of our amazing Grand Egyptian Museum visit.

Kings, Queens And Gods At The Amazing Grand Egyptian Museum

Kings, Queens And Gods At The Amazing Grand Egyptian Museum

After we marvelled at the Grand Egyptian Museum displays, we wandered through the  11 galleries exhibiting artifacts from 7,000 years of history. Many of the display items had been in storage for decades.  There were displays highlighting the Predynastic and Old Kingdom, Middle Kingdom, New Kingdom, and Greco-Roman eras. Each were fascinating.

We found many more statues of the kings and queens of Egypt. And we even found statues of people in the various eras. We found displays that showed large groups of armies and boat rowers. The very Roman looking exhibits reinforced that other peoples once lived in the area too. We were amazed to find how many pieces were in pristine condition. But there were also many broken pieces on display.

We saw many statues of different Egyptian gods. The mummified crocodile representing the god Sobek was a preview of the crocodile museum we found when we visited the Kom Ombo Temple on our Viking cruise on the Nile River.  We found many statues of other animals that were revered in Egypt through the centuries. Sphinx statues made with different Matias were on display.

We learned much about the kings, queens and gods of Egypt wandering through the amazing Grand Egyptian Museum. 

Exploring The Museum Galleries For Egyptian History

Wandering through the exhibits, we saw much that showed the importance of the journey to eternity. A few burial chambers were on display. This was our preview of the burial chamber we later saw in the temples on the Nile River.  We saw the spectacular collection of ancient Egyptian sarcophagi and coffins in different eras.

Everywhere we looked the story Egyptian history was told in pictures on tablets, walls and pictures. The hieroglyphics were dense on all kinds of surfaces. So many tales!

In every display case we saw such an amazing variety in artifacts that showed Egyptian life. Pottery and ancient jewelry was colourful.

Everywhere we looked there was something new to discover on our visit to the amazing Grand Egyptian Museum.

Don’t Miss The Khufu Solar Boat Display

We had one final stop as we wandered around the Grand Egyptian Museum. Walking outside, we went over to the separate building that housed the Khufu Solar Boat. There were ramps that led to the upper levels for better views. Elevators were also located at either end of the display.

The Khufu Solar Boat was originally found in 1954, buried in a sealed limestone pit near the Great Pyramid in Giza. The cedar boat was fully disassembled but fully preserved for over 4,500 years. 

The boat was reassembled using only traditional ancient methods and rope binding. It sat by the pyramids for many years but was ultimately moved to the Grand Egyptian Museum. This 42 foot ritual boat was meant for King Khufu’s divine voyage into the afterlife and not for river transport. It was called a “solar boat” representative of his persona as the sun god Re. We walked around the boat and admired the craftsmanship.

Beside the completed boat, we found the shell of another boat. The 1,650 wooden pieces are in the process of being re-assembled to allow visitors to see this interesting process.

Our visit to the Khufu Solar Boat was a unique stop on our visit to the amazing Grand Egyptian Museum.

Facilities In The Museum

We took some time after we visited the exhibits at the GEM to explore the vast space on the main level. Of course, we found several different stores that sold souvenirs. Some pieces were typical reasonably priced souvenirs. But many others were expensive art and jewelry pieces. We browsed through the stores but did not buy. Although many others left the museum with more than one bag.

We found lots of options for food. The selections ranged from full sit down restaurants to coffee shops, including a StarBucks and even a gelato shop. We had a snack with coffee on first visit. On our second visit, we returned to the same spot with nice exterior like seating for lunch. Our gelato stop disappointed us as a very expensive treat.

We found lots to see and do when we visited the amazing Grand Egyptian Museum in Cairo.

The Pyramids Of Egypt

From the Grand Egyptian Museum we got our first glimpse of the Giza pyramids off in the distance. They were visible from the front courtyard and through a large window inside. 

We learned about the history of pyramids in Egypt and the evolution of the design of these spectacular structures. Kings built at least one pyramid for their own tomb and sometimes they built smaller pyramids for their wives or ka (soul).  This was a great preview of the different types of pyramids we saw on our tours around Cairo from the Saqqara step pyramid to the Giza pyramids. 

This quick view of the pyramids convinced us to visit the Marriott Mena House Hotel for lunch. From there we got an even closer view of the pyramids.

Our visit to the amazing Grand Egyptian Museum certainly got us excited for our further adventures in Egypt.

So Much To See Wandering The Amazing Grand Egyptian Museum In Cairo In Egypt

We were so glad we visited the amazing Grand Egyptian Museum in Cairo early on our Viking tour of Egypt. Visiting twice gave us a chance to get a better look at key areas that fascinated us. The GEM is truly a spot not to miss on a visit to Cairo. We learned so much about the different periods in Egyptian history as we wandered through the exhibits. And we know the exhibits will continue to grow as more artifacts are uncovered and moved to this museum. 

Did you enjoy time wandering the amazing Grand Egyptian Museum? What was your favourite part?