National Museum of Egyptian Civilization

The National Museum of Egyptian Civilization (NMEC) is a large museum located in Old Cairo, a district of Cairo, Egypt. Partially opened in 2017, the museum was officially inaugurated on 3 April 2021, with the moving of 22 mummies, including 18 kings and four queens, from the Egyptian Museum in central Cairo, in an event termed the Pharaohs' Golden Parade. The museum displays a collection of 50,000 artifacts, presenting the Egyptian civilization from prehistoric times to the Modern era. Background The permanent collection is divided into two separate regions; one chronological and the other is thematic. The chronological areas are the following: Archaic, Pharaonic, Greco-Roman, Coptic, Medieval, Islamic, modern and contemporary. The thematic areas are the following: Dawn of Civilization, The Nile, Writing, State and Society, Material Culture, Beliefs and Thinking and the Gallery of Royal Mummies. UNESCO provided technical help to the museum. The collections will be taken from other Egyptian museums such as the Egyptian Museum, the Coptic Museum, the Museum of Islamic Art, the Manial Palace and Museum in Cairo, and the Royal Jewelry Museum in Alexandria. Museum halls Main gallery The main gallery helps visitors obtain an integrated idea of the Egyptian civilization and its most important achievements from prehistoric times to the modern era, in addition to the traditional culture that modern Egyptians have inherited. This gallery includes Nazlet Khater Skeleton, the Tent of Purification, the coffin of Sennedjem, the Nilos Statue, Minbar Aboubakr Ibn Mizhar, and the Al Falaha Statue, among other pieces. Mummies Hall The Royal Mummies’ Hall is designed to display the mummies of the ancient monarchs of Egypt. The design aims to give the visitor the feeling of strolling down the Valley of the Kings, where most of these mummies were originally resting. The hall includes 20 royal mummies, 18 kings, and 2 queens, from the 17th to the 20th dynasties. List of mummies from 17th and 18th dynasties: List of mummies from 19th and 20th dynasties: Textile Hall The Egyptian Textile Gallery contains a collection that comprises approximately 600 artifacts. Dye House This ancient dye house dates back to at least the first century of the Fatimid period. It is the sole surviving evidence of Cairo’s ancient dye houses. Ain el-Sera Lake The museum is located next to the Ain el-Sera Lake, the area which has been developed from slums into a touristic site in 2022. It includes a restaurants area, an open-air theatre, green areas, wooden pergolas, fountains and a purification plant of lake water. Gallery Accessibility and tickets The museum provides easy access to suit all visitors such as free wheelchairs, designated parking spots, and elevators. Brochures in Braille are available on request; reservations in advance are required for sign-language tours. The ticket prices for foreigners: 550 EGP (11$) for Adults, 300 EGP (6$) for Students. Notable donations In late 2017, Zahi Hawass reported that Francis Ricciardone, the president of the American University in Cairo, donated 5,000 of its artifacts to the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization. Usage The museum hosted the final draw of the 2021 World Men's Handball Championship. The museum also has a Conservation Center and storage. See also List of museums of Egyptian antiquities References External links Official website Podcast on the Golden Parade, "History of Egypt Podcast" series by Egyptologist Dominic Perry, 4 April 2021