By Stephen Kalin
The construction of Egypt’s newest engineering and architectural marvel began recently just steps away from the oldest and largest of the ancient pyramids at Giza. Set on a massive track of land measuring nearly 500,000 square meters next to Remayah Square, the Grand Egyptian Museum is set to open to visitors in July 2015.
Tasked with housing the most important and representative artifacts from Egypt’s Pharaonic history under one roof, the Grand Egyptian Museum will eventually display 100,000 artifacts in 32,000 square meters of exhibition space, making it one of the largest museums in the world.
Advanced information technology will deliver audio visual presentations to visitors in multiple languages, facilitating their journey through thousands of years of Egyptian history. In addition to the spacious galleries, the museum is set to include a library, a theater, lecture halls, classrooms, shops and cafes.
The Grand Egyptian Museum will take over for the Egyptian Antiquities Museum in downtown Cairo’s Tahrir Square, which has become notorious for its overstuffed and disorganized viewing galleries. The early 20th century landmark building will eventually be repurposed, possibly as a cultural and advanced research center. more
