Grand Egyptian Museum opens for trial run

Egypt is acceptable to unfastened the doors to constricted sections of a caller flagship museum, built adjacent the Pyramids of Giza, that volition show the world’s largest archaeological postulation erstwhile the nationalist is fixed afloat access.

The Grand Egyptian Museum volition unfastened 12 of its halls connected Wednesday arsenic a proceedings tally successful beforehand of the still-unannounced afloat opening.

The megaproject, built adjacent the famed Pyramids astatine a outgo of much than $1bn, volition unfastened its halls for 4,000 visitors per day, said Tayyeb Abbas, adjunct to the curate of antiquities.

The depository has been nether operation for much than 10 years. Some sections person been unfastened since 2022 for constricted tours.

However, an authoritative day for a afloat opening has not yet been set. It has been repeatedly delayed for assorted reasons, including the COVID-19 pandemic.

More than 100,000 artefacts of Egypt’s past treasures volition beryllium displayed successful the world’s largest archaeological museum, according to the Egyptian authorities accusation website.

Abbas said the proceedings tally would assistance hole for the afloat opening by identifying operational issues, including which parts of the depository mightiness go overcrowded.

The displays crossed the 12 halls pat into issues related to society, religion, and doctrine successful past Egypt, helium added. The open-style halls person been classified by dynasty and humanities bid and volition showcase thousands of artefacts.

Eras that volition beryllium exhibited successful the main galleries see the Third Intermediate Period (about 1070-664 BC), Late Period (664-332 BC), Graeco-Roman Period (332 BC-395 AD), New Kingdom (1550-1070 BC), Middle Kingdom (2030-1650 BC), and Old Kingdom (2649-2130 BC).

One of the halls displays statues of the “Elite of the King”, members of the royal household and high-ranking officials who worked successful the army, priesthood, and the government.

Limited tours person been allowed successful parts of the tract since precocious 2022, to trial visitors’ acquisition and the museum’s operational preparedness.

The expansive staircase – six-storey high, with a presumption of the Pyramids – and the commercialized country are unfastened to the public, showcasing monuments and artefacts that see sarcophagi and statues.

Other parts of the museum, including the King Tutankhamun treasure collection, are acceptable to unfastened later.