Grand Egyptian Museum opens, displaying Tutankhamun's tomb in full for first time

Near one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World — the Great Pyramid of Khufu at Giza — Egypt today (1 November) officially opened the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), marking what it hopes will be a new cultural landmark of the modern age.

Described as the world's largest archaeological museum, the GEM houses around 100,000 artefacts spanning seven millennia of Egyptian history, from pre-dynastic times to the Greek and Roman eras, reports BBC.

Prominent Egyptologists say the museum's opening strengthens calls for the return of key Egyptian antiquities held abroad — including the famed Rosetta Stone displayed at the British Museum.

A major attraction of the GEM is the complete display of the boy king Tutankhamun's intact tomb — shown in full for the first time since its discovery by British Egyptologist Howard Carter in 1922. The exhibit includes Tutankhamun's gold mask, throne, and chariots.

"I had to think, how can we show him in a different way, because since the discovery of the tomb in 1922, about 1,800 pieces from a total of over 5,500 that were inside the tomb were on display," said Dr Tarek Tawfik, president of the International Association of Egyptologists and former head of the GEM. "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."

Costing about $1.2 billion, the vast complex is expected to attract up to 8 million visitors annually, offering a major boost to Egypt's tourism sector, long affected by regional instability.

"We hope the Grand Egyptian Museum will usher in a new golden age of Egyptology and cultural tourism," said Ahmed Seddik, a guide and aspiring Egyptologist by the pyramids on the Giza Plateau.

In addition to the Tutankhamun exhibit, the museum features the 4,500-year-old funerary boat of Khufu — one of the oldest and best-preserved vessels from antiquity — along with numerous galleries that have been gradually opened to visitors since last year.

"I've been organising so many tours to the museum even though it was partially open," said Ahmed. "Now it will be at the pinnacle of its glory. When the Tutankhamun collection opens, then you can imagine the whole world will come back, because this is an iconic Pharaoh, the most famous king of all antiquity."

Spanish tourist Raúl described the museum as "an absolute must-see," while Sam, a tourist from London, said, "We're just waiting to go and check out all of the Egyptian artefacts. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity."

Another British visitor, who had seen Tutankhamun's exhibits at the old Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square, noted, "The old museum was pretty chaotic, and it was a bit confusing. Hopefully the Grand Museum will be a lot easier to take in and I think you will just get more out of it."

Spanning 500,000 square metres — roughly the size of 70 football pitches — the colossal museum features a façade covered in hieroglyphs and translucent alabaster, with a pyramid-shaped entrance.

Among its centrepieces are a 3,200-year-old, 16-metre-long suspended obelisk of Pharaoh Ramesses II and his 11-metre-high statue, which was relocated in 2006 from Cairo's railway station in a complex operation. A grand staircase lined with statues of ancient rulers leads to an upper level offering a framed view of the Giza pyramids.

Originally proposed in 1992 under President Hosni Mubarak, the GEM's construction began in 2005 and took nearly as long to complete as the Great Pyramid itself, facing setbacks from financial crises, the Arab Spring, the Covid-19 pandemic, and regional conflicts.

"It was my dream. I'm really happy to see this museum is finally opened!" said Dr Zahi Hawass, Egypt's former minister of tourism and antiquities. "Now I want two things: number one, museums to stop buying stolen artefacts and number two, I need three objects to come back: the Rosetta Stone from the British Museum, the Zodiac from the Louvre and the Bust of Nefertiti from Berlin."

Dr Hawass has launched online petitions — attracting hundreds of thousands of signatures — demanding the return of these artefacts.

"We need the three objects to come as a good feeling from these three countries, as a gift, as Egypt gave the world many gifts," he added.

Dr Monica Hanna, another leading Egyptologist, echoed the call for repatriation, saying the artefacts were "taken under a colonialist pretext" and that "the GEM gives this message that Egypt has done its homework very well to officially ask for the objects."

The British Museum told the BBC it had received "no formal requests for either the return or the loan of the Rosetta Stone from the Egyptian Government."

Egyptologists and conservators are also celebrating the GEM's potential as a global research hub. Egyptian experts have already restored Tutankhamun's artefacts, including his intricate armour made of textiles and leather — work permitted only under Egyptian law.

"Colleagues from around the world have been in awe of the fantastic conservation work that has been done," said Dr Tawfik. "As well as ancient Egyptian history, we are also showcasing modern Egypt because it's Egypt that built this museum."