Grand Egyptian Museum Visitor Guide: Everything you need to know about the GEM!
I’ve been to the Grand Egyptian Museum over 30 times, and I’m here to help you have a great visit to Cairo’s newest museum!
The Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza is the largest archaeological museum in the world, and it's usually the main highlight of anyone's trip to Egypt. However, if you don't know important, basic information about the GEM (like how to buy tickets in advance), it could ruin your visit!
I've been to the Grand Egyptian Museum (also referred to as the GEM) more than 30 times, I scored a private, VIP tour of the galleries a day before the museum actually opened, and I wrote this Grand Egyptian Museum Visitor Guide to help any tourist maximize their time at Cairo's newest and biggest attraction.
In this guide to the GEM, I'm going to share:
1. The Grand Egyptian Museum's timed entry system - what you NEED TO KNOW before planning your visit
2. How to buy tickets for the Grand Egyptian Museum (hint: you must buy them online, in advance!)
3. How much time you need to visit the Grand Egyptian Museum (no, it's not days and days like everyone says)
4. What are the highlights to see at the GEM
5. The best restaurants and coffeeshops to take a break in between the galleries
...and more!
I’m Gus - I help travelers like you have amazing trips to Egypt, and I also organize group tours!
If you don't know me already, my name is Gus. I've been living in Egypt off and on for 13 years, and have been organizing and leading small group tours throughout Egypt for more than four years. I speak fluent Egyptian Arabic, have visited all the tourist attractions in Egypt countless times, and I help travelers like you organize amazing trips in the land of the Pharaohs. If you want help with your trip to Egypt, fill out this interest form and I'll be in touch!
Every group tour I lead includes a stop at the Grand Egyptian Museum.
Grand Egyptian Museum Timed Entry System
These first two sections are the most important in this entire guide, so if you skip the rest of what I write, don't skip over these first two parts! Learning about the timed entry system, and the need to purchase tickets in advance, means the difference between having a great time exploring the GEM and not being able to visit at all because you showed up at the wrong time, or tickets sold out before your visit.
The Grand Egyptian Museum started using a timed entry system at the beginning of December - this was because the museum was consistently over capacity for visitors in its first few weeks, and they needed a way to regulate how many people were entering the GEM complex, and at what times.
So now, when you buy a ticket to the GEM (more on how to do that below), you must buy a ticket for a specific timed entry slot.
Note: This does not mean that your visit to the GEM has a time limit! It just means that you can only ENTER the museum during the timed entry slot that you book.
This shows the new entry time slot system at the Grand Egyptian Museum.
The Grand Egyptian Museum timed entry slots are 8:30am - 11am, 11am - 1pm, 1pm - 3pm, 3pm - 5pm, and on Wednesdays and Saturdays (when the museum has evening hours), they have a 5pm - 8pm timed entry slot.
Please leave a comment (at the bottom of this blog post) and let us know if you experience any issues with entering the GEM at the time slot written on your ticket, or if you were able to successfully enter the GEM with a timed entry slot different from when you arrived. I will continue updating this guide with the feedback from my readers, and also my personal experience at the museum with the trips I arrange.
How to buy tickets for the Grand Egyptian Museum
The only place to buy Grand Egyptian Museum tickets online is the Grand Egyptian Museum’s official ticketing website, www.visit-gem.com.
The Grand Egyptian Museum only sells tickets online, and the official website to buy Grand Egyptian Museum tickets is http://www.visit-gem.com/.
This website is the only official place to buy Grand Egyptian Museum tickets, and you can currently book tickets up to two months in advance of your visit.
Important note - the tickets are non-refundable and date and time-specific, so you might not want to book your tickets super far ahead of your trip! What if you have a flight change, plans move around, you cancel your trip, or decide you'd like to do your sightseeing activities in a different order?
I recommend booking Grand Egyptian Museum tickets no more than 5 days ahead of your Egypt trip if you are booking for the normal high season, and if you are booking during the most popular times to be in Egypt (Spring Break - around Easter, or between December 20 - January 5), booking tickets to the GEM one or two weeks in advance, maximum, is recommended.
If you forget to buy tickets ahead of time, try going to the ticketing website as soon as possible to get tickets, but if for some reason you don't have tickets by the time you reach the museum (hopefully if you're reading this guide you already bought yours!), they do have ticket machines on-site, but lines can be long, and you have no guarantee they will not have already sold out by the time you get there, so plan ahead and book ahead, online!
The website accepts Visa or Mastercard only. You cannot buy tickets to the GEM using cash, even if you buy them at the museum. They do not accept other credit cards, like American Express or Discover.
Protip: if you are buying the tickets online in Egypt, make sure you can receive text messages on your phone number associated with your Visa or Mastercard, as your card will likely require sending you a 2-factor authentication (2FA) code to verify that it's you who is making the purchase, and not fraud (this happens commonly when completing online transactions for companies based in Egypt, if you are not Egyptian).
You will receive your tickets via email in a PDF format, and written on the PDF will be your name (don't worry - it'll be one name for the entire group, but they don't check IDs to verify the name), date of your visit, time slot for your visit, and a QR code that you scan to enter the museum.
Do not print out this ticket! Just have the PDF downloaded and saved on your phone. You could print the ticket if you wanted to, but you might as well save the paper!
Let's look at the official website and go over how to book tickets to the Grand Egyptian Museum, step-by-step:
These are the buttons to choose admission tickets (self-guided, regular tickets), or guided tour tickets (you’re with a large group and one of the GEM’s in-house guides) - more on these options below!
At the bottom of the homepage of www.visit-gem.com there will be two options: "Book Admission Tickets" and "Book Guided Tour Tickets".
I prefer to book admission tickets (general, self-guided or you brought your own private guide tickets) instead one of the Grand Egyptian Museum guided tours, because the guided tour will be with a large group (usually group sizes are 25 - 35 people), and I find it difficult to follow along with the Egyptologist guide because of this.
However, if you want to be on one of the Grand Egyptian Museum tours with an experienced, in-house GEM guide pointing out the main highlights of the museum and you don't mind being in a huge group, the guided tour ticket is the way to go.
However, for most independent travelers, or if you have your own private guide with you (and you're not using one of the museum's guides), booking an admission ticket is the way to go.
After you click "Book Admission Tickets" a calendar will pop up for you to choose which date and timed entry slot you will visit the GEM. Be certain of which date and timed entry slot you need, since this cannot be changed, and these tickets are non-refundable and are date-specific and time-specific!
Once you choose your date and timed entry slot, you need to choose the type of ticket. Most tourists who are not Egyptian will buy the “Arabs and Other Nationalities” tickets.
Once you've chosen your date and timed entry slot, a bunch of information appears along with three different types of tickets that all include a dropdown menu with even more options.
Protip: Children under the age of 6 (so, 5 and under) are FREE.
Another tip: Visitors with disabilities (defined broadly) are also free - however, I have not tried this in practice (if you have a disability and got free entry into the GEM, please leave a comment and let us know!)
And don't book a ticket for your Egyptian tour guide or driver - your driver won't be entering the museum, and your tour guide gets in for free as well!
Most of the non-Egyptian tourists booking tickets to the Grand Egyptian Museum will book the "Arabs and Other Nationalities" ticket - you only book an "Expatriates" ticket if you have an actual residency permit/work visa/residency visa and live in Egypt.
When you select this option, a dropdown menu appears with more choices:
-The adult ticket is for any visitor who is not a student regardless of age, or any visitor who is 25 years old or older (doesn't matter if they are a student or not)
-The child ticket is for children between the ages of 6 and 12
-The student ticket is for anyone between 12 and 25 years old who is currently a student
If you are booking a student ticket, be sure you have a physical Student ID on hand that has a photo and a written expiration date (or written date of issue). If the ID doesn't have one of these things, you might be denied the student rate, and may be forced to purchase a new ticket at the full ticket price.
The ticket scanners are often more lenient when the student is obviously under the age of 18, but they can be quite strict when someone looks older than 18.
Having a Student ID on hand is also just good practice for any sites in Egypt where you're buying a student ticket - anywhere you go, be ready to show to the person staffing the QR scanning machines!
You can simply select “skip and continue” if you don’t want to add on either the GEM Discovery Challenge or the Children’s Museum.
At some point, you may be prompted to add on either the “GEM Discovery Challenge” (similar to a scavenger hunt) or the GEM Children’s Museum. Unless you are traveling with younger kids, I don’t recommend either of these add-ons.
Be sure the email you enter can receive mail, since it’s where you’ll likely get a one-time-password (OTP) and also where the tickets will be sent!
After you select the type and how many tickets you want, you need to enter your contact information. Make sure the email you enter is one where you can check mail easily, since the tickets will be emailed to you!
You'll likely be sent a one-time password (OTP) to your email - enter that password before the timer runs out to move on to the next step.
You’ll likely receive a one-time-password in your email inbox to enter before proceeding.
Once you enter the OTP, you'll be brought to a screen verifying everything you will purchase, and then you'll need to check a checkbox acknowledging you agree with the terms and conditions.
After this, you'll be brought to https://payment.efinance.com.eg/ - this is one of the official websites for conducting online, credit card transactions in Egypt, and it's the same payment processor that handles credit card payments for all the historic sites where tickets can be purchased online (which is almost all of them).
Remember that they only accept Visa or Mastercard, that you might get a text message from your card with a 2-factor authentication code to enter (so be sure you can receive text messages), and that the tickets will be emailed to you once the purchase goes through.
Protip: I've noticed over the past several months that my card will be denied about 25% of the time when I try to buy tickets online. I've noticed this happen with multiple different cards, and with both Visa and Mastercard cards.
If this happens to you, don't fret! Try the transaction again with the same card (sometimes it's worked for me on the 3rd or 4th try), or try a different card.
Have any questions about buying tickets to the Grand Egyptian Museum, or did you notice anything on the website that might be helpful? Leave a comment and let me know!
How much time do you need at the Grand Egyptian Museum?
Most tourists will spend a half day at the GEM.
For the average tourist, I recommend spending 3 to 4 hours in total at the Grand Egyptian Museum, including lunch, focusing on the most important highlights the museum has to offer (the King Tutankhamun Galleries including the golden funerary mask, the Khufu Solar Boat Museum, the Grand Staircase, and the Colossal Statue of Ramses the Great).
Despite hearing countless times from subscribers and clients that they needed at least two days all the way up to a full week, I still recommend just 3 - 4 hours.
Don't get me wrong - the GEM is a massive museum that is filled with more than 50, 000 artifacts, spanning centuries of ancient Egyptian history. To explore every gallery in the Grand Egyptian Museum and to look at every object would take countless hours! So what do we need to do? Prioritize, and focus!
Just like with any museum, you can't see everything on display, so you need to come up with a gameplan, choose which artifacts, sections, or time periods are the most interesting to you, and then focus your time and energy on those.
And besides the Grand Egyptian Museum, there are tons of other places to visit in Egypt! You'll be seeing the Giza Pyramids, likely visiting the treasure trove of sites in Luxor like the Valley of the Kings, and seeing the Nile River. You don't want to put all your eggs in one basket and spend so much time at the GEM that you take away from experiencing the other wonders that Egypt has to offer.
So this is why my recommendation for most visitors to the Grand Egyptian Museum is to plan three to four hours, no more. See the most important things in the museum, get a bite to eat (more on that below), and move on to the next amazing place you'll see in Egypt.
For the true, diehard Egyptophiles, there are always exceptions - if someone has a very, very intense interest in ancient Egypt, I'd recommend two half day tour days at the GEM - maybe one day start at the GEM and spend your time in the King Tut Galleries and the Solar Boat Museum, and then go to the Giza Plateau that afternoon, and then the following day, begin at Saqqara, and finish up by having lunch at the Grand Egyptian Museum and taking in the 12 Main Galleries, the Great Hall, and the Grand Staircase.
Or you could try to spend an entire day at the GEM (8:30am - 6:00pm), but to me this would be a lot! I think your experience would be much better if you split up the visit into two 1/2 days.
What are the highlights to see at the Grand Egyptian Museum?
Like any museum, the GEM has several pieces and galleries that stand out, and you cannot miss!
The King Tut Galleries, especially the room with his golden funerary mask, is the top highlight of the GEM, but be ready for crowds!
Tutankhamun Galleries
These galleries are definitely the most important part of the museum, and the section of the King Tut area that houses the golden funerary mask, golden sarcophagi, and shrines is the most prized area of the entire museum. Definitely start here so that you have enough time to take in these objects that have fascinated people for over 100 years.
The Khufu Solar Boat
What's cooler than a boat that is more than 4, 000 years old?! The Khufu Solar Boat was buried next to the Great Pyramid at Giza, and seeing it reconstructed at its brand new home just outside the GEM's Great Hall (it's in its own separate building, still part of the GEM complex) is astounding.
What will be even more astounding is that there is a second solar boat, currently being preserved and reconstructed, that will live right next to the Khufu Solar Boat, so for the first time visitors can see both of the amazing artifacts up close.
The Colossal Statue of Ramses the Great
Ramses II (The Great) was one of the most powerful pharaohs of ancient Egypt, and his colossal statue is the largest in the entire museum, and one of its most striking pieces. You can't miss this one in the GEM's Grand Hall.
The Grand Staircase
If you like colossal statues and monuments, the Grand Staircase will awe you - it has more than 70 gargantuan statues and structures along a multi-section staircase (with an escalator for those who'd rather slowly enjoy the statues instead of huffing it up all those steps).
And when you get to the top, you're rewarded with a gorgeous view of the Giza Plateau!
Protip: Both the Colossal Statue of Ramses the Great (since it's in the Great Hall) and the Grand Staircase are open one hour later than the 12 Main Galleries, the King Tut Galleries, and the Khufu Solar Boat Museum! So I recommend doing these areas at the end of your visit, just in case you run out of time and the galleries shut down, because these two areas will stay open one hour longer!
Once you've checked these highlights off your list, then I recommend heading to the 12 Main Galleries of the Grand Egyptian Museum - these are ordered chronologically and also thematically, making it easy to go from space to space and home in on what your specific interests are.
The best restaurants and coffee shops at the GEM
The Grand Egyptian Museum has a very well-done retail area that gives visitors a much-needed break in between taking in the history and moving between the galleries. Here are my top recommendations for where to get a bite to eat or grab a drink.
You should eat at Zooba at the Grand Egyptian Museum if you want to try delicious Egyptian food - the theme is Cairene Street Food!
Best Egyptian Food: Zooba
Zooba has been around since 2013 and foreigners and Egyptians alike have been loving on this homegrown restaurant brand for over a decade. This branch in the Grand Egyptian Museum is their newest one!
Zooba serves up authentic Cairene street food, but in an upscale (and hygienic) setting. So you can eat all the amazing, delicious street eats of Cairo, but without needing to worry about an upset tummy afterwards.
What I love most about Zooba, aside from the amazing food, is their dedication to presenting different aspects of Cairene and Egyptian street food culture in everything they do.
- The Egyptian ayesh baladi (Egyptian bread) comes out on a little wooden lattice tray, that mimics the giant trays that bread delivery people carry atop their heads as they weave in and out of Cairo traffic
-Their drinks are served in metal mugs, just like you'd get a juicery on the street
-Their fiteer (like a cross between a pizza crust and croissant) is made in-house just like you'd see it being made at any fiteer joint in Egypt
Seriously - every detail has been paid attention to at Zooba, and it results in an authentic, fun, and educational dining experience!
For absolutely DELICIOUS sandwiches, baked goods, and treats, Ratios at the Grand Egyptian Museum is where you need to go!
Best food if you need a break from Egyptian food: Ratios
Ratios is the best (non-Egyptian) bakery in all of Egypt, and their sandwiches and pastries are to die for. Their main (and original branch) is in Maadi, and I literally screamed when I saw they were opening up another branch in the Grand Egyptian Museum!
Take a break from Egyptian food and have one of their absolutely delicious creations - their Sicilian Sandwich is my favorite!
Best coffee: 30North
Yes, there is a Starbucks at the Grand Egyptian Museum, but if you want to have coffee from a well-established local coffeeshop chain, stopping in at 30North is way better.
30North has locations all over Cairo, but their location at the Grand Egyptian Museum provides a nice chance to take a break (and sit down in a chair) from all of the history and ancient artifacts.
Frequently asked questions about the Grand Egyptian Museum
When is the best day or time of day to visit the Grand Egyptian Museum to minimize crowds?
If you’re looking to minimize crowds, avoid Fridays and Saturdays, as these are the days Egyptians usually have off from work.
I also recommend going to the GEM first thing in the morning (8:30am timed entry slot), making a beeline to the King Tut Galleries, and then hitting the Khufu Solar Boat, before seeing the Grand Staircase, Main Galleries, and Colossal Statue of Ramses II.
Can I take photos and videos in the Grand Egyptian Museum?
Photos and videos that are for personal use (more on that below) are allowed everywhere in the Grand Egyptian Museum, but in the King Tutankhamun Galleries, you can take photos only (no video recording allowed).
This is to keep the flow of traffic moving in the King Tut Galleries.
And hey, it’s better than before, when the King Tut objects were on display at the old Egyptian Museum, and due to the tiny gallery they were in, no photography used to be allowed, at all. So the GEM allowing pictures to be taken of the iconic Funerary Mask of King Tut is a step up.
Does the Grand Egyptian Museum have a sound and light show?
Nope, the GEM does not have a sound and light show, but the nearby Giza Pyramids do!
Where can I buy Grand Egyptian Museum Tickets?
You buy tickets to the GEM at the Museum's only official ticketing website, www.visit-gem.com
The GEM used to offer ticket sales on-site, but now they have some ticket machines only (that have long queues), and no formal ticket office that’s open, so you need to buy your tickets in advance, online.
Does the Grand Egyptian Museum have a website?
Yes - the Grand Egyptian Museum website is www.gem.eg - note that this is different from the ticketing website
Does the Grand Egyptian Museum have a visitor guide?
They do! You can head to https://linktr.ee/gemvisitorguide which is an official LinkTree for the Grand Egyptian Museum - they have everything on here from maps of the galleries to suggested walking routes to hit the highlights in the King Tut Galleries, and more!
Should I visit the Grand Egyptian Museum with a guide or do a self-guided tour?
The Grand Egyptian Museum is very easy to do self-guided, so that's what I recommend to most tourists. The museum is laid out in a logical way, galleries are separated by theme and time period, every object is labeled explaining what it is, what time period it's from, historical significance, etc., so this means that any tourist can guide themselves through the GEM and does not need a local guide.
How much time should I spend at the Grand Egyptian Museum?
For the average tourist, I recommend 3 - 4 hours at the GEM, including lunch. It's only for the diehard Egyptophiles (like the people who have a PhD level of interest in Egyptology) that I recommend doing two half-day visits.
What is the Grand Egyptian Museum Ticket Price?
The ticket price for the Grand Egyptian Museum is currently 1,450 Egyptian Pounds for foreign adults (around $30 USD), and half that price for students (any age up to 25) or children under the age of 12. Children under 6 are free.
Is there a Grand Egyptian Museum audio guide?
At this time, no, the Grand Egyptian Museum does not have an audio guide.
Can I bring a selfie stick, drone, tripod, or DSLR camera to the Grand Egyptian Museum?
You can bring a DSLR camera to the Grand Egyptian Museum, but note that all photography must be for personal (and not commercial) use ONLY. If someone suspects you may be taking photos and videos for more the personal use, they may ask you to leave your camera with security.
There are security lockers just outside the museum that are managed by museum security. Whenever I’ve had guests need to put items in the secured lockers, the process has been easy and smooth.
You cannot bring a selfie stick, drone, or tripod to the Grand Egyptian Museum.
In fact, drones are not allowed anywhere in Egypt, so don’t even try to bring one on your trip at all!
What other questions do you have about the Grand Egyptian Museum? Have you visited the newest museum in the Middle East, and the largest in the world dedicated to one civilization? Leave a comment and let me know what you thought, what questions you have, or any advice I should add to this guide!
