A New Wonder on the Giza Plateau

CAIRO, EGYPT – After decades of planning and numerous delays, Egypt officially inaugurated the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) on Saturday, November 1, 2025, in a ceremony attended by international dignitaries. Located just two kilometres from the iconic Giza Pyramids, the vast architectural marvel, costing over $1.2 billion, is now the world's largest museum dedicated to a single civilisation. The opening is a cornerstone of Egypt's strategy to rejuvenate its vital tourism sector and redefine the global museum experience.

Spanning approximately 500,000 square meters, the museum is designed to house around 100,000 artifacts that narrate 7,000 years of Egyptian history, from pre-dynastic times to the Greco-Roman era. The project, first conceived in 1992, faced significant hurdles, including political instability during the 2011 Arab Spring and the COVID-19 pandemic, which pushed its completion date back repeatedly. Funding for the colossal undertaking was a joint effort, primarily financed by approximately $800 million in soft loans from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), with the Egyptian government covering the remainder.

Tutankhamun's Treasures Reunited

The museum's premier attraction is the complete collection of King Tutankhamun's treasures, displayed together for the first time since their discovery by British archaeologist Howard Carter in 1922. Over 5,300 artifacts from the boy king's tomb, including his iconic golden mask, gilded chariots, and ornate throne, are housed in two dedicated galleries. Previously, only a fraction of these items were on display at the old Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square due to space limitations.

"I had the idea of displaying the complete tomb, which means nothing remains in storage, nothing remains in other museums, and you get to have the complete experience, the way Howard Carter had it over a hundred years ago," stated Dr. Tarek Tawfik, President of the International Association of Egyptologists and a former director of the GEM project, in a recent interview. Many of these priceless artifacts have undergone extensive restoration at the museum's state-of-the-art conservation centre, which is among the largest in the world.

Economic Hopes and Regional Implications

Egyptian officials have monumental expectations for the GEM's economic impact. The government aims to attract up to 18 million tourists by the end of 2025, a significant increase from the record 15.7 million visitors in 2024. Projections suggest the museum alone could draw between 5 to 8 million visitors annually, with daily attendance expected to triple from current levels to between 15,000 and 20,000 people. This surge is critical for an economy where tourism accounts for about 8.5% of GDP and is a primary source of foreign currency.

For Kenya and the wider East African region, the GEM's launch offers a powerful case study in leveraging cultural heritage for economic development. While direct ties are minimal, the scale of Egypt's investment and its integrated tourism strategy—linking the museum with the new Sphinx International Airport and upgraded infrastructure—provides a blueprint for nations looking to enhance their own tourism offerings. In January 2025, Kenya and Egypt signed 12 agreements to strengthen cooperation in various sectors, including tourism, trade, and investment, indicating a potential for future knowledge exchange in cultural management and tourism promotion.

A Renewed Call for Repatriation

The museum's opening has also amplified calls from Egyptian archaeologists and officials for the return of key antiquities held abroad. Most prominent among these is the Rosetta Stone, a cornerstone of Egyptology housed in the British Museum since 1801 after being taken by British forces. Petitions organised by prominent figures like Dr. Monica Hanna and former antiquities minister Zahi Hawass argue the artifact was a "spoil of war" and its rightful place is in Egypt. The British Museum maintains it has not received an official repatriation request from the Egyptian government and that the 1801 treaty under which it was acquired was signed by a representative of Egypt. The GEM's state-of-the-art facilities are now being presented as the ideal, secure home for such invaluable pieces of Egyptian heritage, strengthening the moral and logistical arguments for their return.