Egyptian Museum, Archaeological museum at Tahrir Square, Cairo, Egypt
The Egyptian Museum is an archaeological museum at Tahrir Square in central Cairo and holds over 120,000 objects from pharaonic Egypt. The collection spreads across two floors with 107 halls displaying sculptures, jewelry, everyday items and mummified remains.
French architect Marcel Dourgnon designed the building after a competition in 1895 and gave it the form of a neoclassical palace. Khedive Abbas Helmy II officially opened the building in 1902 to bring together all the antiquities collected until then under one roof.
The institution is called Al-Matḥaf al-Miṣrī in Arabic, reflecting its Egyptian origin and importance for national heritage. Visitors today see papyri, sarcophagi and grave goods that show how people honored their dead and believed in an afterlife.
The entrance is located directly at Tahrir Square and can be reached on foot or by public transport. The halls on both floors are connected by stairs and corridors, so allow enough time for the tour.
The halls on the first floor display the golden death mask of Tutankhamun, which weighs about 11 kilograms (24 pounds) and is decorated with semiprecious stones and colored glass. The object is one of the most famous finds worldwide and attracts numerous visitors every day.
Location: Cairo
Inception: 1902
Founders: Auguste Mariette
Official opening: 1902
Address: El Tahrir Sq., Downtown, Cairo
Opening Hours: Monday-Sunday 09:00-21:00
Phone: +20225796948
Email: egyptianmuseum@moantiq.gov.eg
Website: https://egyptianmuseumcairo.eg/ar
GPS coordinates: 30.04778,31.23333
Latest update: December 4, 2025 19:03
Cairo is home to millennia of history. The Giza Pyramids, built between 2686 and 2494 BC, stand alongside Fatimid mosques like the Ibn Tulun Mosque from 879, and Mamluk fortifications such as Saladin's Citadel from the 12th century. Religious heritage reflects community diversity: Saint Serge Church dates to the 4th century, while Sainte-Marie Church from the 7th century reuses elements of the Roman fortress of Babylon. The Cairo Museum, opened in 1902, displays over 120,000 archaeological artifacts including Tutankhamun’s burial mask. Khan Al-Khalili market, established in 1382, continues traditional trade along its alleys lined with spice and craft shops. The Gayer Anderson House exemplifies 16th-century Ottoman residential architecture. These sites span Egypt’s history from pharaonic antiquity to the Ottoman period.
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