With much pomp and circumstance, Cairo is today to inaugurate the long-awaited Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), widely presented as the crowning jewel on authorities’ efforts to overhaul the country’s vital tourism industry.
With a panoramic view of the Giza pyramids plateau, the museum houses thousands of artifacts spanning more than 5,000 years of Egyptian antiquity at a whopping cost of more than US$1 billion.
More than two decades in the making, the ultra-modern museum anticipates 5 million visitors annually, with never-before-seen relics on display.
Photo: EPA
In the run-up to the grand opening, Egyptian media and official statements have hailed the “historic moment,” describing the museum as “Egypt’s gift to the world” and a “new chapter in the history of Egyptian civilization.”
Preparations for the much-delayed inauguration have been shrouded in secrecy.
Authorities have not named the dignitaries expected to attend, but have promised “kings, princes, heads of state and government leaders.”
Organizers have also been tight-lipped on the new display for the iconic gold mask of the boy pharaoh Tutankhamun.
Starting Tuesday, the museum would be open to regular visitors who can view 4,500 of about 5,000 funerary objects previously scattered across the country, including at the colonial-era Egyptian Museum in central Cairo.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi last week held a high-level meeting “dedicated to advancing preparations” for the inauguration, an official statement said.
Al-Sisi urged enhanced coordination to ensure the opening ceremony is held “in a manner befitting Egypt’s position, reflecting its leadership in the field of museums and global culture, and contributing to the promotion of tourism in the country.”
“Emphasis was placed on the symbolic dimension of GEM, which is set to become an international cultural and scientific hub, contributing to enhancing tourism promotion in Egypt,” the statement added.
During a final inspection visit to the site on Tuesday, Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said the event reflected Egypt’s role “as a cradle of civilization and a global leader in culture and museum innovation.”
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