The Hanging Obelisk
The first piece visitors meet: a granite obelisk of Ramesses II from Tanis, 16 meters high and weighing 87 tons, raised on four pillars so you can see the king's cartouches carved on its base.
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Cairo & Giza · Giza, near the pyramids
The Grand Egyptian Museum
Egypt's museum of ancient Egyptian civilization beside the Giza pyramids, home of the Tutankhamun Galleries, which opened its doors on November 1, 2025.
About Grand Egyptian Museum
The Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) is Egypt's museum of ancient Egyptian civilization, at El Remayah Square on the Cairo-Alexandria Desert Road near the Pyramids of Giza. The museum describes itself as the largest in the world dedicated to ancient Egyptian civilization, with collections from prehistory to the end of the Greek and Roman periods.
It holds the Tutankhamun Galleries, including the king's golden burial mask, which were formerly shown at the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir. Standard admission covers the Tutankhamun Galleries, the Main Galleries, the Grand Hall with its statue of Ramesses II, the Grand Stairs, Khufu's Boats Museum and the gardens.
A short history
- 1992Egypt set aside 117 acres near the Giza pyramids for the museum.
- 2002–2003The foundation stone was laid in 2002. In 2003 the Irish firm Heneghan Peng won the international architectural competition to design the building.
- 2018The statue of King Ramesses II was set in the Grand Hall, the first artifact to be placed in the museum.
- 2023–2024The Grand Stairs partly opened to visitors in 2023, and the main galleries partly opened in 2024.
- 2025The museum opened its doors on November 1, 2025.
What you'll see
The Grand Stairs
The Grand Stairs partly opened to visitors in 2023, ahead of the main galleries, and are part of both the standard visit and the museum's own guided tour.
Opening hours and tickets
Opening hours
| Sun, Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri | Galleries 9:00 am – 6:00 pm · last ticket 5:00 pm |
|---|---|
| Wed, Sat | Galleries 9:00 am – 9:00 pm · last ticket 8:00 pm |
The GEM complex (gardens, shops, dining) opens at 8:30 am and closes at 7:00 pm, or 10:00 pm on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
Grand Egyptian Museum, checked October 2026
Getting there and how the visit runs
Drive to the site
| Downtown / Zamalek | 16.9 km · about 19 min |
|---|---|
| Giza hotels | 3.3 km · about 5 min |
| New Cairo | 44.3 km · about 42 min |
| Alexandria hotels | 211.3 km · about 2 h 23 min |
Without traffic, from our tours' map routing
On our Cairo tours the museum comes after the pyramids: from the Sphinx to the GEM is 6.8 km, about 11 minutes. Entrance to the museum is included on every tour of ours that stops here, with an English-speaking guide. It is also on our day trip from Alexandria and on our one-day Cairo trips by plane from Luxor, Hurghada, Marsa Alam, Sharm El Sheikh and Dahab; the flights are not included.
Before you go
What to wear and bring
- Modest clothing
- Comfortable shoes for long galleries
- Small bags only: anything over 40 x 40 cm goes in the free lockers
Photos
- Personal photos and video are allowed, except in the Tutankhamun Galleries, where only mobile phones may be used
- No tripods, selfie sticks or drones
- Ask before photographing other visitors or staff
Average daily high in Cairo (°C)
The coolest months are December to February.
World Meteorological Organization climate normals (monthly averages, not forecasts)
Questions about Grand Egyptian Museum
Do you need a tour guide for the Grand Egyptian Museum?
No, a guide is optional. The museum runs its own guided tours in English and Arabic and offers an audio guide in Arabic, English and Japanese with over 100 stops; on our tours your own guide comes in with you.
How much time is needed for the Grand Egyptian Museum?
The museum's standard guided tour lasts about 2 hours and covers the Tutankhamun Galleries, the Grand Hall, the Grand Stairs and the Main Galleries. Allow more time for Khufu's Boats Museum and the gardens.
Is Tutankhamun in the Grand Egyptian Museum?
Yes. The Tutankhamun Galleries, with the king's golden burial mask, are at the GEM and are part of standard admission; they are no longer at the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir.
Why is the Grand Egyptian Museum temporarily closed?
It is open. After years of partial openings, the museum opened its doors on November 1, 2025, and its galleries now open daily from 9:00 am.
What are the Grand Egyptian Museum's opening hours?
Galleries open 9:00 am to 6:00 pm (last ticket 5:00 pm) on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, and 9:00 am to 9:00 pm (last ticket 8:00 pm) on Wednesday and Saturday.
Can you take photos inside the Grand Egyptian Museum?
Yes, personal photos and video are allowed, except in the Tutankhamun Galleries, where only mobile-phone photos are allowed. Tripods, selfie sticks and drones are not permitted.
Sources: Grand Egyptian Museum; UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.
Day tours
Tours that stop at Grand Egyptian Museum
From Cairo & Giza hotels
Grand Egyptian Museum and the pyramids
- Full day
From, per person$144
From Cairo & Giza hotels
Grand Egyptian Museum with a guide
PriceOn request
From Cairo & Giza hotels
Pyramids and both museums in a day
Approx., per person$50
From Cairo & Giza hotels
The two museums: GEM and Tahrir
Approx., per person$57
From Cairo & Giza hotels
Cairo on a layover
Approx., per person$94
Guides
Read before you go
Egyptian Museum or Grand Egyptian Museum?Tutankhamun is at the GEM and the royal mummies at NMEC: what each Cairo museum holds and how to choose.
What can you see in Cairo in 6 hours?A half-day tour, one cluster of nearby sites, or a two-hour felucca sail or quad ride; check last entry.
Best Cairo day tours for first-time visitorsOur Cairo tours compared by what they cover and how long they run, and how to pair them without repeats.
Egypt day trips by plane: how a one-day flight tour worksThe airport, the drives at each end, the day on the ground, and the flights that are not in the tour price.