Grand Egyptian Museum

After several years of delays, the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) opened its doors to the public on November 4 following an extravagant inaugural ceremony attended by royals and heads of state. To mark the occasion, the Egyptian government declared a public holiday, issued commemorative gold and silver coins, and printed special postage stamps.

Spanning six denominations (1, 5, 10, 25, 50, and 100 pounds), each coin bears a unique design featuring the museum’s distinctive architectural and archaeological highlights, including the Hanging Obelisk, the main façade and entrance, the solar boats, a statue of Ramses II, and the golden mask of Tutankhamun.

The series continues a collection of previous commemoratives documenting major national projects, such as the New Suez Canal, the New Administrative Capital, and the “Decent Life” initiative.

The Museum

Located near the iconic Giza Pyramids outside Cairo, the GEM boasts 12 main galleries that trace Egypt’s history from prehistory through the Greco-Roman era, exploring themes of society, kingship, and belief. Over two decades in the making, the $1 billion megaproject has been promoted as the world’s largest museum dedicated to a single civilization, with over 57,000 artifacts. 

One of the museum’s biggest draws is the complete collection of King Tutankhamun’s golden treasures. More than 5,000 artifacts belonging to the “Boy King”—including his golden funerary mask—are displayed together in their entirety for the first time since the tomb’s discovery in 1922.

The museum utilizes modern display techniques, such as augmented and mixed reality, digital simulations, and immersive storytelling, with AI to be integrated soon. Funded largely through loans from Japan, the project is central to Egypt’s strategy to boost its vital tourism sector. With a projected 5 million museum visitors annually, the government aims to double tourist numbers from a record 15.7 million in 2024 to 30 million by 2030.