National Museum of Egyptian Civilization

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National Museum of Egyptian Civilization
المتحف القومي للحضارة المصرية
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National Museum of Egyptian Civilization
Established3 April 2021
Location Fustat, Old Cairo, Cairo, Egypt
Type History museum, Civilization museum
Collections Prehistoric, Ancient Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Coptic, Islamic, Textile, Modern
Collection size50,000 items
Executive directorAltayeb Abbas
PresidentSherif Fathy (Minister of Tourism and Antiquities)
ArchitectEl-Ghazali Kaseba
Owner Government of Egypt
Public transit access Mar Gerges Station, Cairo Metro
Nearest parkingOn Site
Website nmec.gov.eg Facebook

The National Museum of Egyptian Civilization (NMEC) is a large museum located in Old Cairo, a district of Cairo, Egypt.

Contents

Partially opened in 2017, the museum was officially inaugurated on 3 April 2021, with the moving of 22 mummies, including 18 kings and four queens, from the Egyptian Museum in central Cairo, in an event termed the Pharaohs' Golden Parade. [1] The museum displays a collection of 50,000 artifacts, presenting the Egyptian civilization from prehistoric times to the Modern era.

Background

Interior of the museum National Museum of Egyptian Civilization 2022 07.jpg
Interior of the museum

The permanent collection is divided into two separate regions; one chronological and the other is thematic. The chronological areas are the following: Archaic, Pharaonic, Greco-Roman, Coptic, Medieval, Islamic, modern and contemporary. The thematic areas are the following: Dawn of Civilization, The Nile, Writing, State and Society, Material Culture, Beliefs and Thinking and the Gallery of Royal Mummies. UNESCO provided technical help to the museum. [2]

The collections will be taken from other Egyptian museums such as the Egyptian Museum, the Coptic Museum, the Museum of Islamic Art, the Manial Palace and Museum in Cairo, and the Royal Jewelry Museum in Alexandria. [3]

Museum Halls

A captivating chronological voyage that guides visitors through the epochs and can obtain an integrated idea of the Egyptian civilization and its most important achievements through its various eras, starting from prehistoric times and through the Pharaonic, Greek, Coptic and Islamic eras and to the modern and contemporary era in addition to the traditional culture that the Egyptians inherited or what is known as Popular Heritage.

This gallery includes Nazlet Khater Skeleton, Tent of Purification, The coffin of Sennedjem, Nilos Statue, Minbar Aboubakr Ibn Mizhar, Al Falaha Statue among other pieces. [4]

Mummies Hall

The Royal Mummies’ Hall is specially designed to display the mummies of the ancient Kings and Queens of Egypt. The design aims to give the visitor the feeling of strolling down the Valley of The Kings, where most of these mummies were originally resting. The hall includes 20 Royal mummies,18 Kings, and 2 Queens, from the 17th until the 20th dynasty. [5]

List of mummies from 17th and 18th dynasties:

NameDynastyRole/Notable Facts
Seqenenre Tao 17th DynastyKnown for resisting the Hyksos.
Ahmose-Nefertari 18th DynastyFounder of the 18th Dynasty, wife of Ahmose I.
Amenhotep I 18th DynastySon of Ahmose I and Ahmose-Nefertari, second ruler.
Meritamun 18th DynastyPossible sister-wife of Amenhotep I.
Thutmose I 18th DynastyExpanded Egypt’s borders significantly.
Thutmose II 18th DynastySon of Thutmose I, husband of Hatshepsut.
Hatshepsut 18th DynastyFamous female pharaoh who assumed the throne.
Thutmose III 18th DynastyRenowned as Egypt’s greatest conqueror.
Amenhotep II 18th DynastySon of Thutmose III, known for military campaigns.
Thutmose IV 18th DynastyKnown for the Dream Stele at the Great Sphinx.
Amenhotep III 18th DynastyBrought Egypt to its peak of artistic and cultural power.
Queen Tiye 18th DynastyGreat royal wife of Amenhotep III, influential in court.

List of mummies from 19th and 20th dynasties:

NameDynastyRole/Notable Facts
Seti I 19th DynastyKnown for restoring Egypt’s glory after unrest.
Ramesses II 19th DynastyKnown as “Ramesses the Great,” ruled for over 60 years.
Merenptah 19th DynastySon of Ramesses II, fought the Sea Peoples.
Seti II 19th DynastyFaced internal conflicts during his reign.
Siptah 19th DynastyYoung pharaoh, possibly ruled under regency.
Ramesses III 20th DynastyDefended Egypt from invasions by the Sea Peoples.
Ramesses IV 20th DynastyContinued temple constructions but faced economic issues.
Ramesses V 20th DynastyShort reign, known from the Wilbour Papyrus.
Ramesses VI 20th DynastyFaced challenges in maintaining Egypt’s stability.
Ramesses IX 20th DynastyLast significant ruler of the 20th Dynasty.

Textile Hall

The Egyptian Textile Gallery offers a fascinating journey through the rich tapestry of Egyptian history and craftsmanship. This collection comprises approximately 600 artifacts that provide a captivating insight into the evolution of Egyptian fabrics and the textile industry spanning millennia. [6]

Dye House

An ancient dye house that has withstood the test of time, dating back to at least the first century of the Fatimid period (A.D. 969–1171). This rare and well-preserved gem stands as the sole surviving evidence of Cairo’s ancient dye houses, offering a captivating glimpse into the vibrant world of textile dyes from centuries past. [7]

Ain el-Sera Lake

The museum is located next to the Ain el-Sera Lake, the area which has been developed from slums into a touristic site in 2022. It includes a restaurants area, an open-air theatre, green areas, wooden pergolas, fountains and purification plant of lake water. [8]

Accessibility and tickets

The museum provide easy access to suit all visitors such as free wheelchairs, designated parking spots, elevators, brochures in braille are available on request and reservations in advance are required for sign language tours. [9]

The ticket prices for foreigners: 550 EGP (11$) for Adults, 300 EGP (6$) for Students. [10]

Notable donations

In late 2017, Zahi Hawass reported that Francis Ricciardone, the president of the American University in Cairo, donated 5,000 of its artifacts to the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization. [11]

Usage

The museum hosted the final draw of the 2021 World Men's Handball Championship. The museum also has a Conservation Center [12] and storage.

See also

References

  1. Hussein, Wael (3 April 2021). "Egypt mummies pass through Cairo in ancient rulers' parade". BBC News. Retrieved 4 April 2021.
  2. "The National Museum of Egyptian Civilization". UNESCO. Retrieved 6 August 2017.
  3. El-Aref, Nevine (14 February 2017). "National Museum of Egyptian Civilization opens the temporary exhibit, free admission". Ahram Online.
  4. "Main Gallery - NMEC Objects shows Egyptian civilization". NMEC. Retrieved 2025-01-05.
  5. "Mummies Hall". NMEC. Retrieved 2025-01-05.
  6. "Textile Gallery". NMEC. Retrieved 2025-01-05.
  7. "Dye House". NMEC. Retrieved 2025-01-05.
  8. "Old Cairo's Ain el-Sira: From a slum area into tourist destination". EgyptToday. 2021-04-07. Retrieved 2025-01-05.
  9. "Accessibility". NMEC. Retrieved 2025-01-05.
  10. "NMEC tickets". NMEC tickets. Archived from the original on 2025-02-25. Retrieved 2025-02-25.
  11. Hawass, Zahi (6 August 2017). "AUC: A story to be remembered". Al-Ahram weekly.
  12. "Conservation Center". NMEC. Retrieved 2025-01-05.