Inside Egypt's Grand Egyptian Museum: The Spectacular 'Fourth Pyramid' Showcasing 5,000 Years of Ancient Treasures

The Grand Egyptian Museum stands magnificently in Giza on the southwestern outskirts of Cairo, adjacent to the ancient pyramids.

After two decades of anticipation, the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) is finally set to celebrate its grand opening on Saturday near the iconic Pyramids of Giza just outside Cairo.

Spanning an impressive 24,000 square metres (258,000 square feet) of permanent exhibition space, this cultural marvel will showcase monumental statues and priceless artifacts from Egypt's ancient civilization.

Here are five fascinating aspects of this long-anticipated museum, which Egyptian officials have dubbed "the largest cultural building of the 21st century."

The striking triangular glass structure, designed by the renowned Irish firm Heneghan Peng Architects, draws inspiration from the nearby pyramids of Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure.

This cutting-edge complex—affectionately known as the "fourth pyramid" of the Giza Plateau—houses approximately 100,000 artifacts from the 30 dynasties of ancient Egypt's pharaonic era.

Currently, about half of the extraordinary collection is exhibited, with the remainder carefully preserved in storage facilities.

The imposing $1 billion facility, which has been in development for over 20 years, is projected to attract more than 5 million visitors annually.

Egypt's government is counting on the museum to play a pivotal role in revitalizing the national economy, which has been struggling with debt and inflation.

Visitors entering the vast atrium are greeted by an awe-inspiring 11-metre (36-foot) granite statue of Ramses the Great.

Ramses II—the third king of the 19th Dynasty—ruled more than 3,000 years ago (1279-1213 BC) and ranks among the most significant Egyptian pharaohs in history.

This magnificent statue has toured globally twice, captivating millions of visitors in 1986 and again from 2021 to 2025.

The GEM will serve as the statue's permanent home following multiple relocations since its discovery in 1820 near a temple in ancient Memphis, south of Cairo.

From 1954 to 2006, the impressive statue stood prominently in front of Cairo's main train station.

A dedicated gallery showcases 5,000 artifacts from King Tutankhamun's collection, perhaps the most renowned figure of Ancient Egypt.

For the first time since British archaeologist Howard Carter discovered the famous pharaoh's tomb in the Valley of the Kings near Luxor in 1922, the complete collection is displayed together.

The boy king's gold-covered sarcophagus and his burial mask, intricately inlaid with lapis lazuli, will be the centerpiece of Saturday's grand opening.

Following years of scientific debate, genetic tests conducted in the early 2010s indicated that malaria and a bone disease likely caused the pharaoh's death at the young age of 19.

A separate specialized building houses Pharaoh Khufu's 4,600-year-old solar boat, one of antiquity's largest and oldest wooden artifacts.

The impressive 44-metre-long (144-foot) cedar and acacia wooden vessel was discovered in 1954 near the Great Pyramid of Khufu—the largest of the three pyramids.

Over the next three years, visitors will have the unique opportunity to observe experts working behind glass walls as they meticulously restore another boat discovered in 1987.

The museum partially opened to visitors in October 2024.

Initially launched in 2002 under then-President Hosni Mubarak, the grand opening faced numerous postponements due to political upheaval following the 2011 uprising, the Covid-19 pandemic, and regional conflicts.

The GEM's architectural centerpiece is a magnificent six-storey staircase adorned with colossal statues and ancient tombs, culminating in a panoramic window that offers breathtaking views of the nearby pyramids.

Twelve main galleries chronologically trace 5,000 years of civilization, from prehistoric times through the Roman era.

The comprehensive complex also includes research-accessible storage areas, laboratories, and restoration workshops.

The museum will officially welcome the public on November 4.