Destined to become another major hub for museum-going tourists visiting Cairo, the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization (NMEC) is the first museum devoted to the entirety of Egyptian history. The museum will showcase Egyptian civilization from prehistoric times all the way through the present day and will be the new permanent home of the nation’s famous royal mummy collection.
The NEMC complex is located overlooking a tranquil lake in the neighborhood of Fustat in Cairo, just south of the central downtown area, and includes six main galleries entitled The Dawn of Civilization, The Nile, Writing, State and Society, Material Culture, Beliefs and Thinking, and the Gallery of Royal Mummies.
The huge collection of pharaonic mummies was ceremoniously moved in a grand televised official procession from the older Museum of Egyptian Antiquities in Tahrir Square to their new permanent home at the NMED at the end of 2020. All 22 mummies and 17 royal coffins made the voyage and will be on display. The new mega-museum will also borrow artifacts from other prominent museums in the capital throughout Egypt.
Outside of its galleries, NMEC will be used as an important conservation center and will include an auditorium, research and restoration centers, training facilities, and a publication house. It will also maintain14 archaeological storage facilities in its basement, and UNESCO is providing technical support in the development of training and offerings for the new museum.
The NMEC differs from the old Museum of Egyptian Antiquities and the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) because its collections cover the entirety of Egyptian history as opposed to a sole focus the country’s ancient history, as is the case in Egypt’s other top museums. However, like the GEM, the NMEC is set to become as much a showcase of precious antiques as it will be a center of education, culture, and entertainment for both Egyptians and foreign visitors alike.
