The museum was plagued by a spate of delays, most notably in 2011 during the Arab Spring
THE world’s biggest museum has finally opened to the public – with the incredible gallery boasting rooms of ancient gold and a “cursed” coffin.
The Grand Egyptian Museum – home to more than 100,000 artefacts, including King Tut’s iconic gold mask and sarcophagus – opened its doors on Saturday.
Located in Giza, Egypt, the mega-museum houses some of the world’s most precious archaeological finds.
The breathtaking attraction’s launch comes after 20 years of work – with the project being blighted by several unexpected delays along the way.
It covers a jaw-dropping 500,000 square feet, making it the biggest museum on Earth dedicated to a single civilisation – ancient Egypt.
Visitors entered the museum last weekend through a spectacular alabaster archway, before being greeted by an impressive 83 ton statue of Ramses II, which dates back 3200 years.
The new landmark also boasts an impressive display of statues of ancient kings and gods.
And visitors have an impressive view of the pyramids, which are just a mile away.
Although some parts of the museum were open already, King Tut’s galleries were postponed again this summer due to Israel‘s conflict with Iran.
The museum boasts twelve galleries containing art ranging more than 3000 years.
Inside visitors can also find the dazzling treasures of Queen Hetepheres, the mum of the builder of the Great Pyramid, including her alabaster sarcophagus, furniture and jewellery, along with King Khufu’s grand cedar wood boat.
Construction of the site began in 2005, but came to a halt during the Arab Spring in 2011.
Work resumed in 2014, and a decade later the museum has finally opened.
The Tutankhamen collection was previously showcased in the old Egyptian museum in downtown Cairo, but was moved ahead of the official opening of the new one in Giza.
Tutankhamen’s body remains in his tomb in the Valley of the Kings in Luxor.
The tomb was discovered by English archaeologist Howard Carter in 1922 after seven years of searching.
The discovery of Tutankhamen’s tomb is associated with a dark curse.
Following the unearthing of Tutankhamen’s remains, various figures connected with the expedition died in mysterious circumstances.
These included Lord Canarvon, the financial backer of the excavation team, who died from an infected mosquito bite.
Sir Archibald Douglas-Reid, who X-rayed the pharaoh’s remains, was killed by a mystery illness.
Carter himself died in 1939 from Hodgkin’s Disease aged 64.
No royal tombs had been uncovered since King Tut’s until February when archaeologists discovered King Thutmose II’s burial site.
The grand museum has been designed in a way that pays tribute to its historic surroundings.
Shaped like a chamfered triangle, the museum aligns with the Great Pyramid of Khufu and the Pyramid of Menkaure – and is built extremely close to the great structures.
The museum’s design was picked through an international architectural competition in 2002 that attracted more than 1,500 entries from around the world.
Source: https://www.the-sun.com/news/15441466/worlds-biggest-museum-opens-dazzling-ancient-gold/
