Giza, Egypt - October 16, 2024

The Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) started trial operations of its main galleries on Wednesday in Giza, Egypt, offering visitors an exclusive preview of 12 meticulously curated exhibition halls.

The world’s first suspended obelisk greets guests at the museum entrance, while inside, the majestic grand hall houses the colossal statue of King Rameses II, the victory column of King Merneptah, and the statues of a Ptolemaic king and queen.

This trial phase, during which around 5,000 cultural relics will be showcased, is part of the museum's ongoing efforts to ensure a seamless visitor experience ahead of its highly anticipated official opening.

This phase marks another step forward for the GEM, following the successful soft openings of select areas, including private tours and events since November 2022.

According to Abbas al-Tayeb, assistant minister of tourism and antiquities for archaeological affairs at the GEM, the 12 main galleries cover an area of 18,000 square meters and tell the story of ancient Egyptian society throughout the ages.

So far, about 57,000 artifacts have been transferred to the museum, and more than 14,000 artifacts have been placed in the main display galleries.

The GEM is a scientific, cultural, and educational institution that is keen to preserve ancient Egyptian heritage and civilization, and promote scientific research by providing a unique and accessible integrated tourism experience for its visitors using modern multimedia technology.

The museum, which was originally planned to partially open in 2019, is a landmark project for Egypt's tourism development. Due to project delays, the opening date has been postponed several times.

Upon completion, the GEM is expected to host about 100,000 ancient artifacts.

Shotlist:
Giza, Egypt - Oct 16, 2024:
1. Various of exterior of Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM);
2. Images on gate of GEM;
3. Various of pillar with inscribed "Egypt" in different languages;
4. Various of museum interior, exhibits, visitors;
5. Visitors sitting in museum, Giza Pyramids seen through museum window;
6. Various of exhibits at museum.

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