Egyptian Museum

The Egyptian Museum on Tahrir Square, opened in 1902, still holds one of the world’s great collections of ancient Egyptian art – but Tutankhamun’s treasures are now at the Grand Egyptian Museum and the royal mummies at the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization. Plan two to three hours; tickets for foreign adults are roughly EGP 450–550 (2026).

Egypt’s first national antiquities museum grew from the collection of the French archaeologist Auguste Mariette in the 1850s. After moves from Bulaq and Giza, the collection opened in its current pink neoclassical building on Tahrir Square in 1902, designed by the French architect Marcel Dourgnon.

For more than a century it held almost every great find in Egypt. In recent years many of its most famous pieces have moved: the royal mummies went to the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization in 2021, and the treasures of Tutankhamun to the Grand Egyptian Museum near the pyramids.

• Old Kingdom masterpieces: the seated statue of Khafre, the wooden “Sheikh el-Balad”, and the painted statues of Rahotep and Nofret.
• The Narmer Palette, one of the earliest records of a king of Upper and Lower Egypt.
• Amarna art from Akhenaten’s reign, with its unusual elongated style.
• The Yuya and Tjuyu burial goods and painted coffins from the New Kingdom.
• Thousands of everyday objects, papyri and coffins in the old-fashioned wooden cases that give the museum its character.

Displays change as objects move to the GEM, so some rooms may be closed or rearranged.

The museum stands on the north side of Tahrir Square in Downtown Cairo, next to the Nile Corniche. Many hotels in Downtown and Garden City are within walking distance.

Yes, if you enjoy history – even without Tutankhamun’s gold and the royal mummies, it holds one of the richest collections of Old and Middle Kingdom art in the world, in a historic building. If you only have time for one museum and want Tutankhamun, choose the Grand Egyptian Museum instead.

Arrive at opening time or come in the last two hours before closing, when tour groups thin out. Weekday mornings are quieter than Fridays and Saturdays. The building is not fully air-conditioned, so summer afternoons can feel warm inside.

Sadat metro station (Lines 1 and 2) is under Tahrir Square, a few minutes’ walk from the entrance. From Giza or Zamalek, Uber is easiest; tell the driver “El Mat-haf El Masry, Tahrir”.

There’s no strict dress code, but comfortable shoes and light clothing help – you’ll be on your feet for hours, and parts of the building are warm. Bags go through security at the entrance, so travel light.

Yes. There is airport-style security at the entrance and tourist police in the area. Around Tahrir Square, ignore people who approach you to say the museum is closed and offer to take you somewhere else instead.

• Buy tickets at the official ticket office (card payment is common now).
• Start on the ground floor for the Old Kingdom statues, then go upstairs.
• A guide adds a lot here – labels are short and the layout can be confusing.
• Check photography rules on the day; some rooms or flash photography may be restricted.

Follow Egyptian history from the earliest kings to the Roman period: royal statues, painted coffins, jewellery, papyri and everyday objects. Then walk out to the Nile Corniche or across Qasr el-Nil bridge towards Zamalek and the Cairo Tower.

With a good Egyptologist guide for the first two hours, then on your own for the rooms that interest you most. Our Giza Pyramids and Egyptian Museum day tour combines both with hotel pickup, from $30.

Two to three hours for the highlights, half a day if you love ancient art.

Foreign adults pay roughly EGP 450–550 (2026), with reduced prices for students; Egyptians and Arab citizens pay much less. Prices change regularly, so check the official site egymonuments.gov.eg or the ticket office before you go.

Usually open daily from 9 AM to 5 PM, with the ticket office closing about an hour earlier. Hours can be extended on some evenings and shortened during Ramadan – check before you go.

Egyptian Museum in Cairo | A Guide for First-Time Visitors

CAIRO: Read our article Top 10 Best Things to Do in Cairo We also have a 3 day Cairo Itinerary and how to take a day trip Saqqara.

LUXOR: Get on overview on what to do in our article Top 10 Things to do in Luxor , Why you should visit Luxor and We also have detailed guides to take A Day Trip to Luxor from Cairo

ASWAN: Read our articles about the top attractions in Aswan and When to visit Aswan and we also have detailed A Comprehensive Travel Guide to Aswan

ALEXANDRIA: Read our article about The top attractions in Alexandria and when you should visit Alexandria and we also have a detailed guide to Alexandria and how to take a day trip from Cairo to Alexandria

Dahab: Read our article about the best things to do in Dahab and when you should visit Dahab and we also have an article about the top attractions in Dahab and how to spend a day in Dahab.

Bahariya Oasis: Read our article about The Best Things to Do in Bahariya Oasis and when you should visit Bahariya Oasis and we also have a detailed guide about how to take 2 Days Trip to Bahariya Oasis from Cairo:

EGYPT ITINERARY: With 8 days in Egypt, visit Cairo, Luxor, Aswan and Abu Simbel.

TRAVEL ADVICE: Here is list of important things to know before visit Egypt. the best time to visit Egypt, Advice for first-time travelers in Egypt, and Top 5 Safety Tips for Traveling to Egypt in 2024 – 2025

–Reasons why you should visit Cairo
–Discover Cairo’s Top Attractions: A Comprehensive Guide to Cairo
–Cairo and Beyond: Exploring the Highlights of Egypt on a Guided Tour
–Exploring the Great Pyramids: Wonders of Ancient Egypt
–Cairo’s Culinary Delights: A 3-Day Food Tour
–Discovering Saqqara on a Day Trip from Cairo
–Top 10 Places to Visit in Cairo in 3 Days
–Exploring Cairo in 3 Days
–Where to eat in Cairo?

The Egyptian Museum is no longer the place to see Tutankhamun or the royal mummies, but it remains a treasure house of Egyptian art in a beautiful historic building. Visit the Grand Egyptian Museum first if you only have time for one; add Tahrir if you love history.

Pyramids of Giza | Ibn Tulun Mosque | Mosque Madrassa of Sultan Hassan | Prince Mohamed Ali Palace (Al Manial Palace) | The National Museum of Egyptian Civilization | Mosque of Mohamed Ali | Nile River in Egypt |  Sharia Al Muizz Li Din Allah | Museum of Islamic Art in Cairo | The Egyptian Museum in Cairo | Khan Al Khalili | Al Azhar Mosque | Grand Egyptian Museum | Cairo Tower | Al azhar park | Downtown | Zamalek Island