National Museum
is an amazing organization that offers a thorough and immersive presentation of Egypt’s heritage. The museum offers visitors a fuller knowledge of Egypt’s cultural evolution by showcasing objects that span more than 4,000 years, highlighting both tangible treasures and the intangible traditions that created the nation’s character.
At NMEC we are more than just a museum
NMEC aims to bring the rich tapestry of tangible and intangible Egyptian heritage to life within a vibrant cultural, artistic, and scientific context, fostering meaningful connections for all our visitors.
mummies hall
Considered the crown jewel of the museum, the Royal Mummies’ Hall is specially designed to display the mummies of the ancient Kings and Queens of Egypt. The design aims to give the visitor the feeling of strolling down the Valley of The Kings, where most of these mummies were originally resting. The hall includes 20 Royal mummies,18 Kings, and 2 Queens, from the 17th until the 20th dynasty. The most famous mummies are Hatshepsut (Maatkare), Thutmose III (Menkheperre), Seqenenre Taa II
The discovery of the Royal Mummies of the New Kingdom was one of the greatest and most unexpected discoveries in the history of archaeology. On this particular occasion, the discovery did not involve the usual architectural and artistic masterpieces, but the sacred bodies of the builders of Egyptian civilization during the New Kingdom. These were the same builders that believed in life after death and devoted a large part of their wealth to defeating death.
In accordance with their beliefs, they preserved their bodies for the sake of their souls. They constructed their tombs within the cliff of the valley on the West Bank of the Nile, near their capital at Thebes, and equipped them with all the necessary objects for life after death. The tombs’ entrances were then blocked and the chambers were hidden in order to allow the mummies to be preserved for eternity and carry out their role as a home for the soul in the Afterlife.
The Tomb of King Amenhotep II cache
Another important cache was to be discovered, seventeen years after the cache at Deir el-Bahari. In 1898, Victor Loret, a French Egyptologist, discovered the tomb of King Amenhotep II in the Valley of the Kings. It had another treasure of royal mummies. Amenhotep II, a King of the Eighteenth Dynasty, was found resting in his sarcophagus, and with him lay the famous bow. In another chamber, which had been selected by priests of the Twenty-First Dynasty as a hiding place, he found thirteen mummies including nine kings. Among them were Thutmose IV and Amenhotep III of the Eighteenth Dynasty, Merenptah, Seti II and Siptah of the Nineteenth Dynasty, and Ramesses IV, V, and VI of the Twentieth Dynasty.
The National Museum of Egyptian Civilization (NMEC), in Fustat, Cairo is one of the most important modern museums in Egypt. Unlike other museums that focus mainly on Pharaonic treasures, the museum of Egyptian civilization is the first museum in the Arab world to present the entire history of Egyptian civilization – from prehistoric times through the Pharaonic, Greco-Roman, Coptic, and Islamic eras, all the way to modern Egypt.
What Makes the NMEC Unique
Unlike the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir, which focuses mainly on ancient artifacts, or the Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza, dedicated to Tutankhamun and the pyramids, the NMEC offers a comprehensive story of Egypt’s evolution. Its exhibitions combine archaeology, art, and daily life across thousands of years, showing how Egypt’s identity has continuously transformed.
The Royal Mummies Hall
The National Egyptian Museum’s most valuable artifact is the Royal Mummies Hall, home to 22 royal mummies of Egypt’s ancient kings and queens – including Ramses II, Seti I, and Queen Hatshepsut. After their grand transfer in the Pharaohs’ Golden Parade of 2021, the mummies were permanently relocated here. Visitors walk through a dimly lit, reverent space designed to evoke ancient tombs, creating a powerful and emotional connection to Egypt’s past.
Visit Egypt With Us
Visitors can encounter the mummies of Seqenenre Taa II, Amenhotep I, Thutmose I, Thutmose II, Thutmose III, Thutmose IV, Amenhotep II, Amenhotep III, Seti I, Ramses II, Merenptah, Seti II, Siptah, Ramses III, Ramses IV, Ramses V, Ramses VI, Ramses IX, as well as the powerful queens Ahmose-Nefertari and Hatshepsut.
Besides Royal Mummies, the museum also preserves other priceless artifacts of Egyptian civilization, representing every era – from prehistoric tools and Pharaonic treasures to Greco-Roman sculptures, Coptic art, Islamic manuscripts, and modern heritage pieces. It features thematic galleries that explore everyday life, crafts, traditions, and cultural practices across the ages, offering insight into how Egyptians lived through different eras.
Our Egypt tours include visits to the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization and other world-class museums, providing travelers with a deeper understanding of Egypt’s timeless journey – from the Pharaohs to the present day.
This makes NMEC not only a museum but also a gateway to understanding Egypt’s timeless story.
See this incredible museum and more like it on our Egypt tour. Book your luxury Egypt vacations!
