Following its historic official opening, the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) is fully operational, securing its spot as the ultimate cultural destination in the Middle East. With over 100,000 artifacts spanning thousands of years of Egyptian history, the scale is massive.
The absolute must-see exhibits inside the GEM, alongside the best surrounding attractions to pair with your visit, include the following:
Must-See Exhibits Inside the GEM
1. The Complete Tutankhamun Galleries (The Crown Jewel)
For the first time since Howard Carter discovered the tomb in 1922, all 5,398 treasures are displayed together in one place. The layout mimics the flow of the original tomb discovery.
- What not to miss: The iconic 24-pound solid gold death mask, the beautifully intimate Golden Throne, his childhood toys, and his meteorite-iron daggers.
2. The Khufu Solar Boat
This 4,500-year-old cedarwood vessel was buried next to the Great Pyramid of Giza to carry Pharaoh Khufu into the afterlife. It has been painstakingly moved and fully reconstructed inside the museum. It is one of the oldest, largest, and best-preserved ships from antiquity.
3. The Grand Hall & Hanging Obelisk
Your entry into the museum features two engineering marvels:
- The Hanging Obelisk: Located right outside the entrance, this 110-ton obelisk of Ramses II is suspended so that you can walk underneath it and look up through a glass floor to see the pharaoh’s hidden cartouche carved into its base.
- The Colossus of Ramses II: Inside the soaring atrium, an 11-meter-tall, 83-ton red granite statue of Ramses the Great welcomes visitors under a glass roof that looks directly out toward the pyramids.
4. The Grand Staircase
More than just a way to move between floors, this massive, six-story staircase acts as a chronological procession through time. It features over 60 monumental statues and sarcophagi grouped into themes like Royal Image and Gods & Kings. As you reach the top, the staircase opens up to a panoramic glass wall with an unmatched view of the Giza Pyramids.
Surrounding Attractions to Pair with Your Visit
Because the GEM is located in Giza (about 20–30 minutes outside of central Cairo), it is perfectly positioned to be paired with several incredible nearby experiences:
1. The Giza Pyramid Complex & The Sphinx
Located just 2 kilometers (about 1.2 miles) from the GEM, visiting the Pyramids of Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure alongside the Great Sphinx is the most logical pairing. Many travelers do the pyramids in the morning when it’s cooler, then head to the climate-controlled GEM for the afternoon.
2. NMEC (National Museum of Egyptian Civilization)
If you want to complete the ultimate ancient history itinerary, pair the GEM with a visit to the NMEC (located in Fustat, Cairo). While the GEM holds the artifacts and treasures, NMEC is the home of the Royal Mummies Hall, where the physical remains of Egypt’s greatest pharaohs (including Ramses II and Hatshepsut) rest in an incredibly respectful, state-of-the-art environment.
3. Saqqara Archeological Site
If you want to escape the heavier crowds at Giza, take a short 30-minute drive south to Saqqara. This active excavation hotspot features the Step Pyramid of Djoser (the oldest stone pyramid complex in the world) and beautifully preserved noble tombs boasting vibrant, colorful wall carvings that rival anything found in Luxor.
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