The National Museum of Egyptian Civilization (NMEC) in Fustat, Old Cairo, tells the story of Egypt from prehistory to today. It is best known as the home of the royal mummies: since April 2021, 22 kings and queens of ancient Egypt, including Ramses II, Seti I, Thutmose III and Hatshepsut, have rested here in a dedicated hall.
The Royal Mummies Hall
The mummies arrived from the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir in the Pharaohs’ Golden Parade, a night-time procession through Cairo watched around the world. The hall is dimly lit and quiet, like a royal tomb, and each mummy lies in a climate-controlled case with its story beside it. Seeing the faces of rulers you have read about, such as Ramses II with his hooked nose and red-tinted hair, is unforgettable.
The main gallery
The central hall covers Egyptian civilization through all its periods: ancient, Greco-Roman, Coptic, Islamic and modern, with themes such as writing, the Nile, crafts and beliefs. There is also a textiles gallery and a gallery on the history of Cairo.
Visiting
Allow about two hours. Photography is not allowed in the mummies hall. The museum is close to Coptic Cairo, and we usually visit both together on our Cairo day tours.
