Tutankhamun's Golden Mask to the Grand Egyptian Museum

Tutankhamun's Golden Mask

 

Tutankhamun's Golden Mask to the Grand Egyptian Museum

The golden mask of King Tutankhamun will be moved to the Grand Egyptian Museum near the Giza Pyramids, after being on display for nearly a century at the Cairo Museum.

Visitors now have only a few days to view the mask at the Egyptian Museum in downtown Cairo before it is moved to the Grand Egyptian Museum, which is scheduled to officially open on July 3. "There are only 26 pieces from the Tutankhamun collection here at Tahrir Square, including the golden mask and the two coffins," said Ali Abdel Halim, a spokesman for the Grand Egyptian Museum.

"All the pieces will be moved soon," the spokesman told AFP, without specifying a date. He noted that "the mummy will not be moved from the Valley of the Kings, as it is an important part of the archaeological site." King Tutankhamun's treasures are among the most popular items for visitors, and his golden mask will occupy a prominent place in a dedicated exhibition hall. More than 5,000 pieces belonging to the king have been moved to the museum.

In a recent television interview, Ahmed Ghoneim, CEO of the Grand Egyptian Museum Authority, revealed that a dazzling ceremony will be held to mark the museum's opening, "utilizing Egypt's historical and tourism potential," highlighting "the museum, the Pyramids of Giza, and the relationship between them."

From colossal statues of the pharaohs to everyday objects from ancient Egypt, the Grand Egyptian Museum will offer a journey through 7,000 years of history. The Grand Egyptian Museum will be "the largest museum dedicated to a single civilization, the Pharaonic civilization."

Ghoneim asserts that this 500,000-square-meter museum is "the largest museum in the world dedicated to Egyptian civilization," with an area "twice the size of the Louvre in Paris and two and a half times the size of the British Museum."