National Museum of Egyptian Civilization

National Museum of Egyptian Civilization
المتحف القومي للحضارة المصرية
Map
Established3 April 2021
LocationFustat, Old Cairo, Cairo, Egypt
TypeHistory museum
Collection size50,000 items
Websitenmec.gov.eg

The National Museum of Egyptian Civilization (NMEC) is a large museum (490,000 square metres (5,300,000 sq ft) ) located in Old Cairo, a district of Cairo, Egypt. Partially opened in 2017, the museum was officially inaugurated on 3 April 2021 by President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, 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.[1] The museum displays a collection of 50,000 artifacts, presenting the Egyptian civilization from prehistoric times to the present day.

Background

Interior of the museum

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.[2]

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.[3]

  • Inside the museum
    Inside the museum
  • Mummy of queen Tiye, now displayed at the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization
    Mummy of queen Tiye, now displayed at the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization
  • Mummy of Ramesses II, now displayed at the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization
    Mummy of Ramesses II, now displayed at the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization
  • The coffin of Nedjemankh
    The coffin of Nedjemankh
  • Hapi, the scribe
    Hapi, the scribe
  • Chariot of king Thutmose IV
    Chariot of king Thutmose IV

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.[4]

Usage

The museum hosted the final draw of the 2021 World Men's Handball Championship.

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to National Museum of Egyptian Civilization.

References

  1. ^ Hussein, Wael (3 April 2021). "Egypt mummies pass through Cairo in ancient rulers' parade". BBC News. Retrieved 4 April 2021.
  2. ^ "The National Museum of Egyptian Civilization". UNESCO. Retrieved 6 August 2017.
  3. ^ El-Aref, Nevine (14 February 2017). "National Museum of Egyptian Civilization opens the temporary exhibit, free admission". Ahram Online.
  4. ^ Hawass, Zahi (6 August 2017). "AUC: A story to be remembered". Al-Ahram weekly.