Grand Egyptian Museum We visited the largest museum in the world - even the entrance holds a surprise

The largest museum in the world has recently opened in Cairo. It took as long to complete as it did to build the Pyramid of Cheops. blue News visited the Grand Egyptian Museum and marveled at over 100,000 exhibits - these are our highlights.

"From these monuments, 40 centuries look down upon you." With these words, Napoleon Bonaparte is said to have sworn in his soldiers before the Battle of the Pyramids at dawn on July 21, 1798. The outcome was clear: around 30 fallen Frenchmen faced almost 5,000 killed or wounded opponents. The victory over the Mamluks paved Napoleon's way to Cairo and also marked the end of almost 700 years of Turkish rule in Egypt.

Ironically, the decisive battle did not actually take place at the pyramids. But Bonaparte was aware of their enormous symbolic power - and used them specifically for his propaganda. A similar sense of impact is also likely to have played a role in the choice of location for the new Egyptian National Museum.

Since 2005, the Egyptians have been building their al-matḥaf il-kabīr, literally translated as "the great museum" - almost an understatement for the 167,000 square meter monumental building. Although: the ancient Egyptians hardly needed any longer for the Pyramid of Khufu. It is also said to have been completed in around 20 years.

The dimensions of the Grand Egyptian Museum are monumental and can certainly compete with the pyramids in terms of impact: The front façade measures 800 meters, 81,000 square meters are available as exhibition space. Tutankhamun's tomb treasure alone is presented on 7500 square meters.

More than 100,000 exhibits await you in the GEM - a wealth that overwhelms visitors at first.

blue News was on site and shows you a selection of the highlights that you should not miss in the world's largest archaeology museum.

Even before you enter the huge entrance hall of the Grand Egyptian Museum, one detail will make you frown: an obelisk is not standing on the floor - it is floating. The 15.5-metre high and 87-tonne colossus from the time of Ramses II rests on four black basalt pillars.

And there is a good reason for this:

The obelisk is also inscribed at the bottom. The cartouche of the pharaoh was hidden on its underside for over 3500 years. It only became visible when it "floated" - quite curious and unique in the world.

An archaeological wow-moment that shows that even millennia-old monuments can still surprise.

When you enter the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), you immediately stand in front of the giant: Ramses II. The 83-ton statue had to be placed in the entrance hall early on - it would have been almost impossible to move it into the finished building later due to its weight. The museum was therefore practically built around the pharaoh.

Before that, the monumental sculpture stood for years in the middle of the hustle and bustle, right next to Cairo Central Station, also known as Ramses Station.

A little warning in passing:

A wide staircase takes you to the gallery area.

Between the larger-than-life statues, you can't miss the first woman on the pharaoh's throne: It happened sooner than you think, because Hatshepsut often had herself portrayed as male.

Beard, royal apron, male stature: In ancient Egypt, the pharaoh was by definition a man. In order to secure her power, Hatshepsut therefore did not present herself as a woman, but as a ruler.

But the colossal statue tells us even more: after her death, her successor Thutmose III had many of her statues desecrated and her name removed from the cartouches.

He was probably less interested in personal revenge than in politics: he wanted to erase a woman on the throne from history - and strengthen his own dynasty. This is precisely what makes Hatshepsut one of the most exciting objects in the GEM.

It's worth taking a closer look, even in this case:

You can still see traces of paint on the skirt of the middle figure today - a detail with an aha effect. In ancient Egypt, sculptures were almost always painted in color. Color was not just decoration, but a statement: it made power, divinity and rank visible.

The monumental statue shows Ramses II between Ptah and the goddess Sekhmet. What looks like bare stone today was once brightly painted. The remaining pigments are a reminder that ancient Egypt was not grey, but surprisingly colorful.

It is worth making a stop here. The panoramic windows on the second floor of the GEM are deliberately oriented towards the pyramids of Giza. After all, the museum is not located here by chance: It was built within sight of the pyramids to combine old and new. Inside the treasures, outside their original context.

The architecture plays with this axis - your gaze automatically wanders from the museum back to the monuments for which many of the objects were once created. A quiet moment with a great effect - and one of the best views in the world.

We actually wanted to leave him out. You know Tutankhamun: Gold mask, world fame, seen a thousand times before.

But this is not possible at the GEM. Because all 5398 finds from his burial chamber are actually on display here - in their entirety, for the first time ever. And suddenly you are amazed anew: at everyday objects, game boards, sandals - and even boomerangs.

They look simple, are reminiscent of modern flip-flops and tell a lot: the straw sandals from Tutankhamun's tomb are made of woven plant fibers from the Nile and date back to the New Kingdom.

A total of over 80 pairs of sandals were found in Tutankhamun's tomb - a luxury that only the elite could afford in ancient Egypt, as most people walked barefoot.

But there could be a second reason for the large number of sandals: Researchers today suspect that Tutankhamun had problems walking and was particularly reliant on supportive footwear.

These black sandals (see picture below) are part of Tutankhamun's tomb inventory, which has hardly been shown to date.

They lay hidden in storage for over 100 years after their discovery and have never been exhibited publicly. Until recently, they were in the restoration rooms of the Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza, being prepared for their grand entrance.

Yes, you read that right: Tutankhamun's tomb also contained boomerangs. They show that the most famous pharaoh was not only buried with gold, but also with everyday objects. The curved throwing sticks were probably used for hunting birds - and were also a sign of leisure and status.

The boomerangs from Tutankhamun's tomb are around 3300 years old and are among the best-known examples from antiquity. However, they are not the oldest known. Archaeologists have found similar throwing devices dating back to the Stone Age.

A damaged wooden head flashes out from between the gold and glitter - and immediately catches our eye with its grace. The object appears fragile, almost inconspicuous, and yet it is magically attractive.

The sculpture shows the young King Tutankhamun in the form of the god Nefertem. According to ancient Egyptian mythology, Nefertem emerged from the primeval waters as a lotus flower at the beginning of the world. He embodies the first sunlight and the daily new beginning of creation. The god is depicted rising from a blue lotus flower - a powerful symbol of rebirth and eternal life.

The small wooden head was found in the pharaoh's outer coffin and is considered one of the most important works of art from the Amarna period.

It is possibly no coincidence that we are so moved by this damaged wooden object: Tutankhamun ascended the throne when he was around nine years old and died at around 19. The delicate Nefertem head quietly tells of the hope for a new beginning - and the desire for a life beyond death.

One minute a finely crafted wooden head from the Amarna period - and the next an object that is larger than life: the sun barque of the pharaoh Cheops is around 43 meters long and is one of the largest original exhibits in the Grand Egyptian Museum.

To see it, you leave the main building and cross a wide open space. It is only in a separate part of the building that the wooden ship, which is over 4600 years old, reveals its full potential.

For a long time, the solar barque was exhibited in its own museum right next to the Pyramid of Khufu. It was only for the Grand Egyptian Museum that it was elaborately transported and restaged.

Both archaeologically and religiously, the wooden ship is a key object: in ancient Egypt, the pharaoh was supposed to use this barque to travel through the heavens together with the sun god Ra after his death.

Built entirely without nails, it is a masterpiece of ancient Egyptian engineering - and a highlight of the GEM.

If you return in a few years, you will see a new highlight:

The second sun boat of Khufu was found in a sealed pit south of the Khufu pyramid - dismantled, badly damaged in places, but completely preserved. It will now be reassembled at the GEM over several years.

We think: A good reason to come back.

Better less than too much

The Grand Egyptian Museum is huge - architecturally clear, but not always intuitive. The wide halls and long paths are impressive, but can also be overwhelming.

So our final tip: don't go for all-or-nothing. Let yourself drift, take breaks - and save something for next time. Because this museum is definitely too big to tick off in one day.

The GEM - as we have also discovered - rewards a visit without haste.

This article was created in collaboration with Edelweiss.

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