Travel bucket list idea:
Cairo, Lower Egypt, Egypt
Ancient Egypt produced one of the greatest of all civilisations and this two-storey museum is the storeroom for some of their finest artefacts. Tutankhamun’s treasures are the big draw, but there is so much more to see.
Covering more than 3,000 years, it provides an overview into the creation and development of so much that we use in our own lives, from furniture and jewellery to fabrics and sculpture. The Louvre, British Museum, Turin Museum, and New York Metropolitan all have great Egyptian collections but none come close to this.
Tutankhamun’s treasures fill a significant part of the upper floor. If the gold room is packed, go and see something else and return when it has emptied: few people stay long.
A separate ticket is required to see the royal mummies, but plenty of less regal mummies are displayed for free on the upper floor, including a fascinating selection of animals.
A massive cedarwood boat thought to have belonged to Pharaoh Khufu, found below the Great Pyramid, was recently relocated here from the Pyramid of Giza.
The bewildering array of objects on display in the museum demands time and concentration – and a guided tour to unlock the museum’s secrets. Many operators in Cairo offer museum tours; alternatively, if you prefer to go independent, local guides can usually be hired by the hour in front of the museum. Audio guides are also available.
Turn left when you enter the museum and go clockwise around the ground floor – the museum is arranged chronologically, so that way you will be walking through the centuries.
You don’t walk far, but the experience tends to be draining. It’s always packed with tourists and there’s alot of jostling in front of prime exhibits. Most tour groups only visit a selection of the main highlights. Step into any of the many empty galleries to find unvisited treasures and escape the tourist hubbub.
The museum is open all year round, seven days a week. It’s always heaving, but lunchtime or later in the afternoon tend to be quieter. The coach tours tend to go through in the morning.
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