#TheMuseumOfEgyptianAntiquities

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The Museum of Egyptian Antiquities

Located in the midst of Downtown Cairo is The Museum of Egyptian Antiquities (commonly known as the Egyptian Museum); although established in 1902, this appealing architectural design is where Ancient Egyptian history and artifacts are showcased with gratitude and security. With its substantial shape, salmon colored exterior walls and two-story height; this museum includes 120,000 various artifacts with many still kept in storage. Some, if not most, of these items are seen in protective glass cases while others including large statues of former Pharaohs and Queens are located, without a barrier, on the ground floor. Here is also where viewers can find ancient Egyptian pottery; clothing; cutlery; jewelry; weapons; sarcophagus’s; paintings and many small sized statues that, although are not placed within protective glass, require a glance from a distance so as to not deface any of the Ancient beauty.

The Egyptian Museum consists of statues of ancient deities, palm trees and a pond in its exterior (with strategically lit lights at night) while the interior reveals tall and large pillars on the ground floor and captivating Arch designed ceilings and walls that almost enclose the second floor. One could also site benches and seats where one could rest to examine exhibits as well as the stairway that leads to the famous and celebrated Golden Mask of Tutankhamun; a magnificent mask with hieroglyphic inscriptions in the back view and a pharaonic beard and ancient multicolored beaded necklace in the front view.

Other than antiquities of past civilization, the Museum also holds a memorial in its garden that caters to former and famous Egyptologist including but not limited to: Zakaria Goneim, Auguste Mariette and Emmanuel de Rouge.

Regardless of past obstacles that may have lead to the demolition and theft of certain antiquities, including the destruction of two mummies during the Revolution in 2011, the Museum succeeded in obtaining  twenty-five of them that were later featured at the “damaged and restored” exhibition held in 2013 where two statues of King Tutankhamun (made from cedar wood and gold); a statue of King Akhanatan; a mummy of a child and a small polychrome vase were introduced to the public.  The Egyptian Museum continues to receive International and local viewers who anticipate its architecture, Ancient findings and the opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum in 2018.

By Sabrina