Museums in Cairo - 3 historical museums you don't want to miss

Writer: Helena Bergström

We recommend three museums in Cairo that you don't want to miss when visiting the Egyptian capital. These are the most important museums in the city for those interested in ancient Egypt. All three offer incredible experiences!

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Museums in Cairo

There are of course many different museums in Cairo. For those interested in Egyptian history, these three are the most important:

• Egyptian Museum
• Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM)
• National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation

1. Egyptian Museum

The Egyptian Museum in Cairo is the museum that until now (when Grand Egyptian Museum soon to be fully opened) has been the main museum of artefacts from ancient Egypt.

This museum, located in the centre of Cairo, is very large, very interesting and very well visited. However, as new treasures are being found all the time, the museum is simply no longer sufficient and needs to be expanded.

There is so much to see in this museum, and the biggest draw so far has been the treasures from Tutankhamun's tomb. At the time of writing, these treasures are still in the Egyptian Museum, but if all goes to plan, they will be moved to the new museum, GEM for short, later in 2025.

But, will the museum still be interesting to visit when Tutankhamun's treasures are moved? Yes, definitely! There is so much more to see in this museum. However, it will certainly be less crowded when GEM takes over and becomes the number one museum for tourists.

The amount of beautifully decorated sarcophagi is overwhelming.

And so, of course, are all the statues. Some stand out because they are huge, because they represent famous figures or because they have eyes that shine, sparkle and almost look alive. These eyes were once a deterrent to would-be grave robbers!

One statue stands out because it is unusually small, so small in fact that it fits in one hand. And it's a bit ironic that it's Cheops - that is, the pharaoh buried in the largest pyramid - who has the smallest statue. And yes, this is the only known surviving statue of Cheops.

In addition to statues, sarcophagi and mummies, there are also many smaller artefacts and images that tell us about the everyday life of the ancient Egyptians. For example, what did hairdressers do 4 000 years ago?

There is also a whole room dedicated to animal mummies. Why not embalm a crocodile, a monkey or perhaps a dog that you want to take with you to the afterlife?

2. Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM)

To house all the marvellous treasures of ancient Egypt, a new, modern and magnificent museum has been built called Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM). The museum, located near the Pyramids of Giza, is at this time (March 2025) about 80 per cent open. A few more exhibitions will eventually complete the masterpiece.

The entrance is spectacular. It includes the statue of Ramses II - a 3,200-year-old red granite statue, 11 metres high and weighing 83 tonnes. The statue was first moved to the site, and the museum was then built around it. Incredible!

In this museum you will find a long line of majestic statues, displayed in an airy, stylish and modern way.

Of course, some figures are more famous than others, such as the pharaoh Hatshepsut, who was often depicted with male features even though she was a woman.

There is also a wide range of images, texts and artefacts on display. These include several different versions of the four vessels in which the mummies' organs were stored to be taken to the afterlife - liver, lungs, stomach and intestines.

3. National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation

The third museum we visited, the National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation (NMEC), is smaller than the other two, but well worth a visit! The first thing to do is to go downstairs to the mummy rooms. There is a strict photo ban, but the visit really takes your breath away.

There they are, all the famous pharaohs! Their skin is smooth, their nose and ears are intact, their toes are still on their feet and sometimes even their hair. It feels like they could stand up and start breathing any second!

It's hard to believe that these people lived over 4,000 years ago. Maybe they didn't have the afterlife they imagined, but somehow they still managed to become immortal!

On the upper level, various small artefacts are displayed, often with interesting stories to tell. A stone, for example, shows how women gave birth in a squatting position, and next to it you can see various medical instruments.

Of course, the ancient Egyptians wanted to know what time it was, even at night when it was dark. So they invented a bucket with small holes, where the water trickled out at the right rate and the remaining water told the time.

You can also check out musical instruments, games and toys.

More museums in Cairo

For those interested in the fascinating history of the country, we have listed the most important museums in Cairo. Of course, there are more museums in the city, such as, for example:

• The Coptic Museum
• Museum of Islamic Arts
• Gayer-Anderson Museum
• Manial Palace Museum

More to see and do in Cairo

In addition to visiting museums in Cairo, there is of course more to see and experience. First of all, of course, you want to see the pyramids of Giza. Another thing you won't want to miss is Downtown, with its lively bazaars. You can also visit the beautiful Mohammad Ali Mosque, discover hand-knotted carpets or perhaps take a dinner cruise on the Nile.

Which museums in Cairo would you like to see?

Which museums in Cairo would you like to see? Do you like museums? Do you find history exciting?

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