Egypt inaugurated its long-delayed Grand Egyptian Museum on Saturday, marking the completion of a US$1 billion project more than two decades in the making.
Touted as the world’s largest museum dedicated to an ancient civilization, the landmark complex near the Giza Pyramids aims to boost the country’s tourism industry and revitalise its economy.
The museum houses over 50,000 artifacts, including the full collection of treasures from the tomb of King Tutankhamun, displayed together for the first time since their discovery in 1922.
World leaders, including monarchs and heads of state, attended the opening ceremony in Cairo, which Egypt’s presidency hailed as “an exceptional event in the history of human culture and civilisation.”
The museum will open to the public on November 4 and is expected to attract around five million visitors annually, placing it among the world’s most visited cultural institutions.
