Egyptian Museum, Cairo

Photo © Peter Brubacher. View all images in our Egyptian Museum Photo Gallery.

Photo © John Spier.

Photo © GFDL.

Photo © Holly Hayes.

The Egyptian Antiquities Museum in Cairo, known more commonly as the Egyptian Museum, houses the largest collection of Ancient Egyptian artifacts in the world.

History

The Egyptian Museum owes its existence to the Egyptian Antiquities Service, established by the Egyptian government in 1835 to limit the looting of Egypt's priceless artifacts.

The museum opened in 1858 with a collection assembled by Auguste Mariette, the French archaeologist retained by Isma'il Pasha. It was originally housed in an annex of the palace of Ismail Pasha in Giza, the museum moved to its present location in 1900.

What to See

The Egyptian Museum's collection includes over 120,000 items. As at the Louvre Museum in Paris, it is necessary to be selective during a visit.

One major highlight is the famous Pharaoh Tutankhamen tomb collection on the museum's upper floor. The tomb of "King Tut" (as he is better known) was found remarkably intact by Howard Carter in the Valley of the Kings in 1923. Artifacts on display include the gold funerary mask and sarcophagus, four huge gilded boxes that fit inside each other, an ancient trumpet, thrones, and even a royal toilet seat.

Also upstairs is the royal Mummy Room, which houses 11 royal mummies from pharaonic times. It has a significant entrance fee and does not allow photos, but the adjacent (free) room has a nice assortment of mummified animals and birds.

Quick Facts on the Egyptian Museum

Site Information
Names:	Egyptian Antiquities Museum; Egyptian Museum; Egyptian Museum, Cairo
City:	Cairo
Country:	Egypt
cat:	Museums
faith:	Ancient Egyptian
style:	Neoclassical
Visitor and Contact Information
Address:	al-Mathaf al-Masri, Midan El Tahrir, Cairo, Egypt
Coordinates:	30.047829° N, 31.233594° E (view on Google Maps)
Opening Hours:	Daily 9-4:30
Cost:	£e50; Mummy Room an additional £e100
Phone:	02/5782448, 02/5782452
Website:	www.egyptianmuseum.gov.eg
Lodging:	View hotels near this location

Note: This information was accurate when first published and we do our best to keep it updated, but details such as opening hours can change without notice. To avoid disappointment, please check with the site directly before making a special trip.

Map of the Egyptian Museum

Below is a location map and aerial view of the Egyptian Museum. Using the buttons on the left (or the wheel on your mouse), you can zoom in for a closer look, or zoom out to get your bearings. To move around, click and drag the map with your mouse.

References

Egyptian Museum in Cairo - official website
Egyptian Antiquities Museum - Fodor's
Egyptian Museum - Frommer's

More Information

Reviews of the Egyptian Antiquities Museum - TripAdvisor
Egyptian Museum, Cairo - Go Historic
Photos of Egyptian Museum - here on Sacred Destinations

Article Info

Title:	Egyptian Museum, Cairo
Author:	Holly Hayes
Last updated:	01/19/2010
Permalink:	www.sacred-destinations.com/egypt/cairo-egyptian-museum
Link code:	<a href="http://www.sacred-destinations.com/egypt/cairo-egyptian-museum">Egyptian Museum, Cairo</a>