The Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) is the largest museum in the world dedicated to a single civilization. It stands on the edge of the Giza plateau, about 2 km from the pyramids, and opened fully in November 2025. For the first time, the entire treasure of Tutankhamun is shown together in one place, alongside thousands of other objects that spent decades in storage.
What to see
The colossal granite statue of Ramses II, about 11 meters tall and more than 3,000 years old, greets you in the atrium. Behind it the Grand Staircase climbs six floors past kings, gods and sarcophagi, and ends at a window that frames the pyramids. The main galleries tell the story of Egypt from prehistory to the Roman period. The Tutankhamun galleries hold the gold mask, the coffins, the chariots, the thrones and the jewelry, more than 5,000 objects found in his tomb in 1922. Khufu’s 4,500-year-old solar boat is also on display, and outside the entrance stands the Hanging Obelisk of Ramses II, which you can walk underneath.
GEM or the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir?
The Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square is still open and still worth a visit for its old-world atmosphere and its huge collection, but Tutankhamun’s treasure has moved to the GEM. The royal mummies are at the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization in Fustat. If you only have time for one museum, choose the GEM.
Tips for your visit
Give it at least three hours, and more if you love the details. The galleries are wide, level and air-conditioned, with lifts and plenty of seating, so it is a comfortable visit even in summer. Book tickets in advance in busy months. Most of our Cairo day tours combine the GEM with the Giza Pyramids and the Sphinx on the same day.
