The Grand Egyptian Museum - a new symbol of ancient civilization

After more than 20 years of construction, on the evening of November 1, Egypt officially inaugurated the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) - considered the most massive cultural project of the 21st century of the country of the Pyramids.

It is the world's largest museum dedicated to a single civilization - ancient Egypt - and is a symbol of Egypt's efforts to modernize tourism and preserve its heritage.

According to a VNA correspondent in Egypt, speaking at the inauguration ceremony, President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi emphasized: “This magnificent work is a testament to the talent and aspiration of the Egyptian people – the people who built the pyramids and wrote human history. GEM is not just a museum, but a beacon of knowledge and peace .”

He also acknowledged the support from Japan and the contributions of Egyptian engineers, archaeologists and workers over the past two decades. After his speech, President El-Sisi installed the final piece of the museum model, symbolizing its official inauguration.

Located in Giza, 20 km from Cairo and near the Giza Pyramid Complex, GEM was started in 2005 with a total investment of more than 1 billion USD, according to the design of Heneghan Peng Architects (Ireland).

The project covers an area of 480,000 m2, of which the exhibition area is 24,000 m2 with 12 main galleries, recounting the history of ancient Egyptian society through three themes: Kingship - Society - Belief.

The museum houses more than 100,000 artifacts, including Pharaoh Khufu's solar boat and King Tutankhamun's complete collection of 5,390 artifacts.

The artifacts are displayed using advanced technology, combining 3D images, virtual reality and modern lighting, bringing a vivid interactive experience to visitors.

GEM's design is inspired by the shape of a pyramid, with the main hall featuring a statue of Pharaoh Ramses II over 11 meters high.

The project takes advantage of natural light and climatic factors to protect artifacts in harsh desert conditions. In addition to the exhibition space, GEM is also a research, education and cultural center, contributing to spreading the value of Egyptian heritage to the world.

The inauguration ceremony took place solemnly with the participation of 79 official delegations, of which 39 were led by heads of state, kings, princes and prime ministers of countries, along with representatives of regional and international organizations.

The event is seen as an important milestone in Egypt's strategy to promote tourism – a key economic sector – and connect its glorious past with a sustainable future.

Before the official inauguration ceremony, GEM also welcomed a number of special and famous guests, including French President Emmanuel Macron, Vietnamese President Luong Cuong, Angolan President João Lourenço, Comoros President Azali Assoumani, Singaporean President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, Serbian Prime Minister Duro Macut, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and former United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon./.

(TTXVN/Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/dai-bao-tang-ai-cap-bieu-tuong-moi-cua-nen-van-minh-co-dai-post1074434.vnp