Egypt has officially opened the Grand Egyptian Museum near the famous Great Pyramid of Giza.
For the first time ever, the entire contents of the tomb of King Tutankhamun are on show in one place, just as they were when British archaeologist Howard Carter discovered them over 100 years ago.
The new museum is the largest of its kind in the world. It holds about 100,000 artefacts, showing over 7,000 years of Egyptian history, from the earliest times to the Greek and Roman periods. A major highlight is Tutankhamun’s gold mask, throne, and chariots.
Dr Tarek Tawfik, a leading Egyptologist, came up with the idea to show all the items together. “You get the complete experience, the way Howard Carter had it,” he explained.
The museum, which cost over $1.2 billion to build, is expected to welcome around eight million visitors each year. This could give a big boost to Egypt’s tourism, which has faced challenges in recent years.
Along with the Tutankhamun collection, visitors can see other wonders such as a huge statue of Pharaoh Ramesses II, his 16-metre-long obelisk, and the 4,500-year-old boat of King Khufu. The museum is about the size of 70 football pitches and features a pyramid-shaped entrance.
Visitors say they hope the new museum will be easier to explore than the old Egyptian Museum in Cairo, which many found confusing. With its modern layout and stunning views of the nearby pyramids, the GEM is set to become one of the world’s top historical attractions.
