A MAJOR new museum is opening and it will be the largest archaeology museum in the world.
The Grand Egyptian Museum based in the winter sun spot of Cairo, will officially open to the public this weekend, after a decade of set backs.
The new museum traces the history of ancient Egyptian civilisation and cost around $1billion (£761million) to build.
One of the main attractions are the Tutankhamun Galleries, which are home to 5,000 objects that were discovered when the famous pharaoh’s tomb was back in 1922.
Visitors will even be able to see his golden coffin, discovered more than a century ago.
In another wing, visitors will find two of King Khufu’s (the pharaoh who commissioned the construction of the Pyramid of Giza) solar boats, which were found near the Pyramids.
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And if you want a glimpse of the pyramids, just look out the building’s sprawling windows.
The galleries are split by eras of Egyptian civilisation and include Predynastic, the Old Kingdom, the Middle Kingdom, the Late Kingdom, Ptolemaic Egypt and the Roman Period.
Throughout the museum, there are many interactive features such as pyramid building and papyrus making, and there is a children’s museum too.
According to Time Out, the museum features around 250,000 triangular stone pieces that make up its north facade.
There is then a pyramid-shaped entrance, with gold hieroglyphics.
As you enter, you will then see a huge atrium with an 11 metre tall statue of Ramses II – the pharaoh of Egypt between 1279 and 1213 BCE.
Also in the atrium, is a collection of restaurants and shops.
In total, the museum is the same size as 93 football pitches and once it is fully open, will house over 100,000 artefacts.
After exploring the museum, you can then head to the Pyramids of Giza which are just over a mile away.
Ahmed Youssel, CEO of the Egyptian Tourism Authority, told Time Out: “It’s not a museum, it’s a cultural hub.
“You don’t see history. You live history, you experience history.
“That’s the idea. When we build new museums, we have this concept of virtual reality, augmented reality – electronic things everywhere.”
The museum was originally meant to open back in 2013, but it has been delayed several times due to a variety of reasons including politics, regional conflict, budget and the Covid-19 pandemic.
And last year it then opened for its soft launch, ahead of the official opening this weekend.
Tickets to the museum cost £23.36 per adult and £11.76 per child, and they can either be bought in advance online or at the museum.
Cairo has highs of 21C during the winter months, and lows of around 11C.
In other museum news, the UK’s newest national museum is more like an Ikea store – and Kate Middleton is already a fan.
Plus, a major UK museum named one of the best in Europe to get huge £2.7million expansion.