For decades, the world has waited for the moment when the gates of the Grand Egyptian Museum would finally open to humanity, On November 1, 2025, that dream will at last come true. This date will not simply mark the opening of a museum -- it will mark the dawn of a new era in world culture. For me, it represents the culmination of years of hope, vision, and relentless dedication to giving Egypt, and the world. a museum worthy of our ancient civilization.
Wherever I have traveled from New York to Tokyo, from Paris to Buenos Aires the question has always been the same: "When will the Grand Egyptian Museum open?" That question reflected not only curiosity, but the world's profound fascination with Egypt's timeless past. The Grand Egyptian Museum has captured the global imagination long before its doors even opened, and now the wait is nearly over.
A Day of Global Significance
The first day of November 2025 will be commemorated as a landmark cultural event of the twenty-first century. It was the day Egypt revealed to the world a museum unlike any other-an architectural marvel and a living monument to human achievement. The museum's grand inauguration was attended by leaders, scholars, and visitors from every continent, all gathered at the foot of the Great Pyramid of Giza to celebrate the enduring spirit of civilization.
But this opening carries deeper meaning than any ceremony alone. It symbolizes peace, perseverance, and Egypt's message to the world: that even amid turmoil, culture endures; that knowledge and heritage are stronger than conflict; and that Egypt remains the guardian of humanity's oldest treasures.
From Trial Opening to Triumph
In October 2024, a limited opening was held for select visitors. This "soft opening" allowed Egyptians and a few guests to witness sections of the museum, yet it was not the grand inauguration that Egypt had envisioned. The government's decision to delay the full international celebration was a moral one. At that time, the Middle East was shaken by ongoing violence in Gaza and Lebanon, and Egypt could not, in good conscience, host a lavish global event while innocent blood was being shed.
Prime Minister Dr. Mostafa Madbouly expressed the government's position clearly: Egypt would wait until peace prevailed in the region before holding the full opening that such a museum deserves. This decision reflected not hesitation, but humanity. It affirmed Egypt's steadfast support for justice and its enduring belief in the right of all peoples to live in peace.
Now, in 2025, as the world looks toward a new chapter, Egypt unveils the Grand Egyptian Museum to everyone, an institution that will remind humanity of its shared roots and its shared future.
The Birth of a Vision
Many may not know the story of how this dream began. The Grand Egyptian Museum is not only the largest museum ever built to house a single civilization; it is also the realization of a vision that began more than two decades ago. The credit for selecting its magnificent location belongs to my dear friend, the artist and former Minister of Culture, Farouk Hosny. He insisted that the museum must stand where Egypt's eternal symbols, the pyramids could watch over it. He believed, as I did, that Egypt, the cradle of civilization, deserved a cultural landmark visible from the last surviving Wonder of the Ancient World.
In 2002, an international architectural competition was launched to design the museum. Over two thousand proposals were submitted from around the world. The winning design, by a Chinese architect based in Dublin, Ireland, was chosen for its poetic harmony with the Giza Plateau. The building's facade, formed of translucent alabaster, captures the desert light, echoing the geometry of the pyramids without imitating them. It is a design that looks forward while honoring the past -- a museum in dialogue with eternity
Building the Dream
Construction began with the creation of the conservation laboratories and storage facilities the heart of the museum's scientific mission. These were built to the highest international standards.
The funds that made this possible came, in part, from international exhibitions of the treasures of Tutankhamun, which I organized during my tenure as Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities. Those exhibitions raised approximately 120 million dollars, which were used lo purchase the finest equipment for conservation and to train a new generation of Egyptian experts.
Later, Japan extended a generous loan of about 400 million dollars to support the construction of the main building. Egyptian and international teams worked side by side, combining technical precision with artistic vision. Yet, like so many great endeavors, progress was interrupted. The events of 2011 halted construction, and for a time, it seemed that the dream might fade.
Then came renewal. With the leadership of President Abdel Fattab El-Sisi, work on the museum was revived with new determination. Another Jon from Japan was secured, and the Egyptian government invested nearly one billion dollars to complete the project. This decision -- made during a time of economic hardship-was a profound statement, It told the world that Egypt will always protect its heritage, no matter the cost. Our antiquities are not merely relics; they are the memory of humanity itself:
A Museum Like No Other
The Grand Egyptian Museum occupies 117 acres-an entire city of history and art, From the moment visitors arrive, they will know they are entering sacred ground. At the entrance stands the majestic obelisk of King Ramses 1l, brought from Tanis, its ancient inscriptions welcoming visitors to the kingdom of the pharaohs. Beneath it, visitors may walk and read the name of the "King of Kings. "Ramses I, engraved in stone more than three thousand years ago.
Inside, they will face another wonder: the colossal statue of Ramses II, weighing 83 tons, relocated from Ramses II Square in one of the most daring engineering operations in modern Egyptian history.
Around him stand the statues of kings, queens, and deities royal couple recovered from the Mediterranean depths, the column of King Merneptah, ten statues of King Senusret I, and the graceful figure of the Nile god Hapi. Each sculpture seems alive, greeting visitors as they move toward the museum's heart: the Grand Staircase.
This monumental staircase is the museum's spine, leading visitors upward through time. Along its ascent, statues from every era of Egyptian history stand in silent procession -- from the earliest dynasties to the Ptolemaic period. It is not merely a staircase; it is a pilgrimage through 5,000 years of civilization.
The Solar Boat: A Miracle Reborn
Among the museum's greatest achievements is the relocation of the Solar Boat of King Khufu, one of the most extraordinary engineering feats of the modern age. Once housed in a small structure beside the Great Pyramid, this 4,600-year-old cedar vessel-built to carry the soul of the king to the afterlife-has now been moved to a purpose-built gallery within the museum. The transfer was overseen by Engineer Major General Atef Moftah, whose leadership turned this delicate operation into a success admired worldwide
In the new Solar Boat Gallery, visitors will witness the restoration of the second boat, still being conserved by Japanese specialists. For the first time in history, visitors will be able to observe the meticulous process of archaeological conservation as it happens--a perfect marriage of science, craftsmanship, and transparency.
The Golden King
Yes, it is the treasures of Tutankhamun that will undoubtedly capture the world's heart. For the first time since Haward carter discovered the boy king's tomb in 1922, all 5,398 objects will be displayed together in one place. Two vast halls have been dedicated to this purpose, designed to limo since Howard Carter discovered the boy king's tomb in 1922, all 5,398 objects will immerse visitors in the world of ancient Egypt's most famous pharaoh.
The presentation of Tutankhamun's collection in the Grand Egyptian Museum will differ profoundly from its earlier displays in the old Egyptian Museum in Tahrir. Every piece will be illuminated and positioned us though emerging from the tomb anew. My personal wish is that the golden mask the most iconic artifact in the history of archaeology-should appear as the final object in the visitor's journey.
I believe that when people visit the museum, many will come seeking that one piece they already know; the face of the golden king. If the mask is placed midway through the exhibition, they may feel their journey complete too soon. But if it stands as the last vision before they leave, visitors will traverse the entire gallery, encountering every treasure and story, culminating in that radiant image of immortality.
Among all of Tutankhamun's artifacts, the object dearest to my heart is his throne, on which he is depicted sitting serenely while Queen Ankhesenamun anoints him with perfume and places a garland of flowers upon him. Few notice the delicate detail that unites them: they share one pair of sandals the king's right and the queen's left -- a symbol of perfect union and eternal love.
The Legacy of Egypt's Women
The Grand Egyptian Museum also unveils for the first time the treasures of Queen Hetepheres, mother of King Khufu and grandmother of King Khafre, builder of the second pyramid. Discovered in 1925, her tomb contained exquisite furniture and jewelry that speak of refinement and grace. Yet the discovery went largely unnoticed at the time, as the world's attention was fixed on Howard Carter's revelation of Tutankhamun's burial chamber. At last, Queen Hetepheres will receive the recognition she deserves, her legacy shining beside that of her descendants.
A Message for the Future
The Grand Egyptian Museum is not merely a building or an exhibition; it is a message from Egypt to the world. It declares that civilization is not measured by power or wealth, but by our ability to preserve and honor the past. Every stone of this museum, every artifact within it, tells the story of humanity's search for meaning and beauty.
This museum stands as proof that Egypt is not only the land of the pharaohs but also a modern nation capable of Leading the world in culture, science, and vision. Its completion amid economic and political challenges shows that Egypt's spirit is indomitable.
The Grand Egyptian Museum is, without doubt, the greatest museum ever built. It is Egypt's gift to the world - a monument not only to the past but to the promise of a brighter, more united future.