Egypt is one of the world's most popular travel destinations, welcoming millions of tourists every year. The almost overwhelming archaeological bounty this country offers is the main attraction, particularly the Giza Necropolis which includes the Pyramid of Khafre, the Pyramid of Menkaure, the Great Pyramid of Giza, and the Great Sphinx. More than 14 million tourists visit this necropolis alone each year, let alone the rest of the sites across the country.
The Egyptian government is adding to that roster with the Grand Egyptian Museum. It has been in the works for decades with construction beginning in 2005. Instability in the government from 2011 to 2014 halted development as did the pandemic. But the project has been running on all cylinders since then. Now, tourists are closer than ever to experiencing it for themselves.
As of October 16, 2024, the halls are open on a limited, trial basis to approximately 4,000 visitors per day. The goal is to get a feel for every aspect of the experience from the perspective of anyone visiting the museum before fully opening it to the public. This project is situated near the Giza Necropolis so conservative estimates of tourists expected to attend the museum every day are significantly higher than that. It is going to be a necessary stop for all tourists heading for Egypt.
The Grand Egyptian Museum has 12 massive halls which are home to more than 100,000 artifacts from Ancient Egypt. That includes thousands of years of history and pre-history related to the great pharaohs as well as the Roman and Greek eras. This also includes King Tut's entire collection of treasures and artifacts. This massive project has cost well over $1 billion and taken decades to build, but it will inevitably become an integral piece of Egypt's past, present, and future.