When will the new Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) finally open?
NOTE: THIS BLOG IS OUTDATED—TO CHECK OUT THE LATEST ON THE GRAND EGYPTIAN MUSEUM OPENING, VISIT THIS BLOG POST: https://www.egyptadventurestravel.com/blog/grand-egyptian-museum-opening-date-when-will-cairos-new-museum-open
Prefer to watch instead? Watch Gus go over the main points regarding the opening of the GEM.
In 2002, Egypt broke ground on what will be the largest archaeological museum in the world when it opens—the Grand Egyptian Museum. This behemoth is located right next to the Giza Plateau, which will make it easy to take in the Pyramids and Sphinx, and then marvel at Egyptian artifacts like colossal statues and the artifacts from Tutankhamun’s tomb.
But the GEM has been plagued with delay upon delay in its opening, and the Covid-19 pandemic has not helped speed its debut. Despite Egypt’s insistence that the museum will be open by the end of 2021, I believe we will not see an opening of the GEM until the spring of 2022 at the earliest, and here’s why.
Covid-19 Pandemic
We know that Egypt wants the GEM’s opening to be an historic, international event, with diplomats and celebrity guests from all over the world in attendance. If the grandeur and spectacle of the Royal Mummy Parade in the spring of 2020 is any indicator, Egypt intends to go big with the opening of its new Grand Museum. Due to the unpredictable nature of the pandemic, the prevalence of the Delta Variant of Covid-19, and the need to plan far in advance to give foreign visitors ample time to plan their trips, I don’t see Egypt announcing the museum’s opening until at least the spring of 2022.
Egypt took its time devising an elaborate parade to bring the 22 royal mummies from the original Egyptian Museum to the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization (not to be confused with the GEM), so one can imagine the opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum will be even more epic.
Tutankhamun Artifacts
Another factor delaying the opening of the GEM is that the most important item soon to be on display there, the Tutankhamun Funerary Mask, is still at the original Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square, downtown Cairo. This funerary mask will probably not be moved until some sort of event akin to the royal mummy parade can be planned and executed, and we have not heard a peep about the mask’s eventual move. Some of King Tut’s treasure trove has already made its way to the GEM, but the mask will definitely be moved (and will probably undergo restoration and take a few weeks to be installed in its new display) before the Ministry of Antiquities thinks about opening the GEM.
Tutankhamun’s mask is the most important object in the original Egyptian Museum, where it still resides until its move to the GEM.
Marketing and operations still under discussion…
A third important piece regarding the GEM’s opening is the fact that the museum still does not have a website, social media presence, operations plan, marketing strategy, or several other key aspects it needs in place before officials think about the official ribbon cutting.
“CAIRO – 18 August 2021: On August 17, Egypt’s Minister of Tourism & Antiquities Khaled El-Enani presided over a lengthy workshop attended by members of the GEM’s board of directors, specialists in the ministry, officials and representatives of the Hassan Allam coalition -which won the provision and operation of services in the museum.
The workshop targeted reviewing and discussing the strategy of operating the services in the museum, to reach the plan that allows the provision of services in a manner that befits the giant cultural and tourist edifice.”
If they are still in the planning stages for these keystone aspects of the museum’s operations, marketing, and function, then that is all the more reason we will not step foot in the GEM until at least spring of 2022.
I, along with every other traveler to Egypt, would love for the GEM to be open ASAP before my next trip to Egypt. That being said, Egypt is an amazing country filled with thousands of artifacts, ruins, temples, pyramids, tombs, and more to explore. Do not let the opening of the GEM make or break your Egypt Adventure! And hey, if you go to Egypt in 2021 or early 2022 and the GEM opens after your return, you can always go back. Egypt will be waiting.
What are you most excited about regarding Egypt’s new Grand Egyptian Museum? Let us know in a comment below!
