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Egyptian Museum

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The Museum of Egyptian Antiquities is a vital national history museum located in Cairo, Egypt.

The Egyptian Museum in the 1950's
The Egyptian Museum in the 1950's

It is an Egyptological museum, which means it focuses on the study of ancient Egyptian history and culture. The museum holds the largest collection of Egyptian antiquities in the entire world. This collection includes more than 170,000 individual items. It stands as one of the largest museums in Africa. It also holds the distinction of being the first national museum in the Middle East.

Wikimedia 2016 -14
Wikimedia 2016 -14

The museum's history involves many different locations and leaders. In 1835, the Egyptian government established an early museum near the Ezbekieh Garden. Later, in 1858, Auguste Mariette founded a new museum at Boulaq in a former warehouse. This building was damaged by a Nile flood in 1878. Because of this, Mariette advocated for a permanent building away from the river. By 1889, the Boulaq site was overcrowded and lacked storage. The artifacts were moved to a palace in Giza. Eventually, the collection moved to its current home in Tahrir Square in 1902.

Auguste Mariette photography
Auguste Mariette photography

Building the current museum was a massive engineering task. The French architect Marcel Dourgnon designed the building. The Italian company of Giuseppe Garozzo and Francesco Zaffrani completed the construction. The foundation stone was laid on April 1, 1897. Moving the items from Giza to Tahrir Square required immense effort. Workers used 5,000 wooden carts to transport the collection. Large artifacts were moved by two trains making nineteen round trips. One single shipment included 48 stone coffins. These coffins weighed more than 1,000 tons in total.

Wikimedia 2016 -14
Wikimedia 2016 -14

The museum uses a specific method to organize its massive collection. The exhibition style uses a gradual arrangement of halls. Large statues are placed on the ground floor for architectural reasons. Funerary items, which are objects used for burials, are on the first floor. These items are displayed in chronological order. This means they follow the timeline of history. The museum was once so full that it resembled a storage facility. Director Gaston Maspero compared the museum to a pharaonic tomb. He said the space was used just like a temple.

ساحة المتحف المصري
ساحة المتحف المصري

The collection is divided into several important historical periods. The Prehistoric Period includes pottery and hunting tools from early settlers. The Early Dynastic Period features the Narmer Palette and statues of Khasekhemwy. During the Old Kingdom, visitors can see statues of Djoser and Khafre. The Middle Kingdom offers treasures from princesses and statues of 12th Dynasty rulers. The New Kingdom contains the famous treasures of Tutankhamun. It also includes statues of Hatshepsut, Thutmose III, and Ramesses II.

Egyptian Museum 000 (47)
Egyptian Museum 000 (47)

Beyond the artifacts, the museum houses a significant research library. This library was established when the museum first opened. It has grown to a two-story size with two reading rooms. The collection contains over 50,000 books and volumes. It includes rare works on Greek, Roman, and Near Eastern archaeology. The library also stores maps, paintings, and photographs. This resource helps scholars study the ancient world in great detail.

The Pharaoh Tutankhamun destroying his enemies
The Pharaoh Tutankhamun destroying his enemies

In recent years, the museum has undergone major restoration. In 2012, a rehabilitation plan was launched to fix damage from pollution. This project was supported by the German Foreign Ministry. Workers restored the original color of the walls and the building's decorations. They also installed UV-protective glass to protect the artifacts from light. The museum upgraded its lighting systems in 2016 to allow nighttime visits.

Wikimedia 2016 -16
Wikimedia 2016 -16

These efforts ensure that the history of Egypt is preserved for future generations.

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🖼️ Images & Media (13)
CH-NB Photoglob-Wehrli EAD-WEHR-32043-B.tiff
The Egyptian Museum in the 1950's.tif
File:Az Egyiptomi Múzeum kertje.JPG
Az Egyiptomi Múzeum kertje.JPG
File:Wikimedia 2016 -16.jpg
Wikimedia 2016 -16.jpg
File:The Pharaoh Tutankhamun destroying his enemies.jpg
The Pharaoh Tutankhamun destroying his enemies.jpg
File:Egyptian Museum 000 (47).jpg
Egyptian Museum 000 (47).jpg
File:Egyptian Revolution, Jan 29th. NDP building still burning.jpg
Egyptian Revolution, Jan 29th. NDP...
File:Wikimedia 2016 -14.jpg
Wikimedia 2016 -14.jpg
File:Egyptisch museum kaartje.jpg
Egyptisch museum kaartje.jpg
File:Auguste Mariette photography.jpg
Auguste Mariette photography.jpg
File:Gaston Maspero.jpg
Gaston Maspero.jpg
File:ساحة المتحف المصري.jpg
ساحة المتحف المصري.jpg

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