Egypt on Display

January 16, 2026

Eva Baron

En Espanol

A large stone statue of an ancient Egyptian ruler sits inside a museum, with other statues and visitors in the background. — COURTESY GRAND EGYPTIAN MUSEUM

Take a trip through ancient Egypt. Learn about pharaohs. Learn about their burial. Gaze up at a 36-foot-tall statue of an ancient king. Look out at the Great Pyramid. You can do it all at the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM). It’s in Giza, Egypt.

Many museums contain Egyptian artifacts. The Grand Egyptian Museum is the largest. It took more than 20 years to build. Its grand opening was in November.

A tall stone obelisk stands outside a museum under a blue sky.

This is Pharaoh Ramses II’s obelisk. It’s the first artifact that welcomes visitors to the Grand Egyptian Museum.

COURTESY GRAND EGYPTIAN MUSEUM

Historical Design

The museum is near the Pyramids of Giza. They inspired its architecture. The front entrance is shaped like a pyramid. Outside is a stone monument. It’s called an obelisk. It belonged to Pharaoh Ramses II. It’s on a platform. Visitors can see Ramses’ signature there.

The grand entrance of a museum with a tall statue in the center, high walls, a glass roof, and geometric features of stone and glass.

Inside the museum is a 36-foot-tall statue of Pharaoh Ramses II.

COURTESY GRAND EGYPTIAN MUSEUM

Róisín Heneghan is an architect. She helped design the museum. “At the Grand Egyptian Museum, it is almost like you have traveled back in time,” she says.

Tons of Treasures

There’s a King Tutankhamen exhibit. It’s a highlight. It features objects from King Tut’s tomb. He was Egypt’s youngest pharaoh. He was buried more than 3,000 years ago. His tomb contained nearly 5,400 objects. Archaeologists discovered it in 1922. These treasures are being shown in one place for the first time.

Ancient pots and statues are displayed in glass cases inside a museum.

The museum displays pottery and ceramic art from ancient Egypt.

IWAN BANN

There are more than 100,000 artifacts at the museum. Some have never been shown to the public. The GEM contains jewelry. There are statues and pottery. There’s even a mummified crocodile. “Here, you can learn about the wonders of ancient Egypt,” Heneghan says.