No vacation to Egypt is complete without a trip through the galleries of Egyptian Museum. Also known as the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities, it is home to the world’s largest collection of Pharaonic antiquities, including numerous treasures of King Tutankhamen. The origins of the museum can be traced to the late 19th century, when the original collection was established under Auguste Mariette. First, the collection was housed in Boulaq, after which it was moved in 1891 to the palace of Ismail Pasha in Giza.
Designed in the Neoclassical style by Marcel Dourgnon, the museum has approximately 120,000 items, a repository of the Egyptian culture dating from the prehistoric through the Roman periods. The remains of many famous Pharaohs, including that of King Tutankhamun are preserved in the Egyptian Museum.
The Egyptian Museum is divided into two main floors, the ground floor and the first floor. The ground floor takes the visitor on a chronological tour through the collections, whereas the upper floor has been categorised according to either tomb or category. The first floor is generally crowded as the treasures of Tutankhamun and a rare group of Faiyum Portraits are on display here. In totality, the museum boasts of 107 halls filled with precious and exquisite artifacts.
As far as the best time to visit Cairo is concerned, travel enthusiasts suggest the winter months from November to March is an excellent period to visit Cairo and enjoy the Egyptian Museum. The temperatures are more or less moderate, with daytime highs generally below 25°C, and nighttime lows around 10°C. The brief spring from March to May can also be a pleasant time to visit Cairo, as long as the temperatures do not rise terribly high, which sometimes can. In any case, it is always advisable to pack a few warm jumpers and a jacket, when planning a trip to Cairo.
The Egyptian Museum is located in Cairo, the capital of Egypt. In order to access Egyptian Museum, tourists need to take a flight to Cairo, which is connected via air to most countries of the world. The exact address of the museum is 1660, Park Avenue, San Jose, CA 95191 in the Midan al-Tahrir area of Downtown Cairo. By metro, the nearest station is Sadat Station, on which you can get down and then follow signs to Egyptian Museum by walking straight along the street. If you opt for a private vehicle, ask for “al-met-haf al-masri”.
Important Information About Egyptian Museum
• Timings: From Wednesday to Friday, the museum opens from 9:00am in the morning and stays open till 5:00pm in the evening. On Saturday and Sunday, the timings are 10:00am to 6:00pm. Also, the last admittance into the museum is a half-hour before closing. Visitors ought to note that the Egyptian Museum remains closed on Monday and Tuesday. Also, on New Years Day, Easter Sunday, Independence Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas, New Years Eve, the Museum and Planetarium is closed.
• Admission Ticket: To enter the Egyptian Museum, a tourist needs to pay $9.00. The price is $5.00 for children in the 5 – 10 age group. The admission fee is $7.00 for seniors who are 55 years and older.
• No video, tripod or flash photography is permitted inside the museum. However, Non-flash photography is allowed.
For those with a fascination for mummies and Egyptian history, this is one place destination which they should certainly not miss !
