Although time has passed, in everyone’s memory remain the spectacular images of the parade of royal mummies that took place on April 3, 2021 and that went around the world: the bodies of important pharaohs and queens of Ancient Egypt paraded through the streets of Cairo, from its ancient Egyptian Museum to its new home: the Museum of Egyptian Civilization. But what does this recently inaugurated museum consist of? What are its attractions? How does it complement the other major museums in the capital and neighboring Giza? We talk about it briefly in this post, so that you can decide whether or not to include it in your travel program.
This is the Museum of Egyptian Civilization
The Museum of Egyptian Civilization is a large space for exhibition, conservation, research and dissemination of the history of Egypt. It is located in Cairo, specifically in the neighborhood of El Fustat, an area located south of the capital and closely linked to the very origins of the city.
It is important not to confuse this museum with the Great Egyptian Museum, considered the largest archaeological museum in the world and located just a couple of kilometers from the Pyramids of Giza. On the other hand, the Museum of Egyptian Civilization was inaugurated in 2017 and, since then, has been enriching its collection with contributions from other museums, such as the famous arrival of the Pharaonic mummies.
What is the collection of this museum like? What are its main attractions?
The Museum of Egyptian Civilization houses a collection covering all phases of the history of this town. That is to say, it begins precisely at the dawn of this civilization, in the so-called predynastic and archaic period, up to the recent contemporary period. Therefore, it is not only possible to find pieces and objects from the Pharaonic period, but also from other important historical periods, such as the Roman, Coptic and Arab periods, from the Middle Ages to the present day.
However, the museum not only organizes its rooms chronologically but also thematically. In that sense, the most attractive rooms are undoubtedly those dedicated to the royal mummies that paraded through Cairo in April 2021. This is the case of the Seqenenra Taa kings (Seqenenra Taa Dynasty). XVII), Ahmose I (XVIIth Dynasty), Ahmose I (Dynasty XVIII) or Ramesses II (Dynasty XIX), as well as the queen-pharaoh Hatshepsut and other monarchs such as Ahmose-Nefertari and Tiye.
Some of the most important pieces are also located in the Central Hall, where important sculptures of famous figures such as Akhenaten, funerary objects from ancient Egyptian tombs and furniture from historic mosques are exhibited.
The Museum of Egyptian Civilization is still in the process of enriching its holdings, so it is to be expected that its rooms and collections will be enlarged or modified. And this museum, the nearby Grand Egyptian Museum at Giza and the entire promotional strategy for both have highlighted one thing: the country has entered a new phase in which its historical heritage has become a grand spectacle to attract an increasing number of travelers from all over the planet.
