After more than 30 years of anticipation, the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) in Giza is finally opening its doors to the world — a historic moment for Egypt and global culture lovers alike. Costing over $1 billion and spanning 5 million square feet, the GEM is now the largest archaeological museum dedicated to a single civilization on Earth.

A New Era for Ancient Egypt

Located just a mile from the iconic Pyramids of Giza, the Grand Egyptian Museum showcases over 100,000 artifacts spanning 7,000 years of Egyptian history — from pre-dynastic times to the Greek and Roman eras.

One of its architectural highlights is the 53-foot-high Hanging Obelisk, the only one of its kind worldwide. Suspended above a glass floor, visitors can admire its 3,500-year-old inscriptions from below — a blend of ancient engineering and modern innovation.

Inside, the museum’s Grand Staircase rises through six floors, lined with colossal statues that guide visitors toward the main galleries. In total, 12 vast exhibition halls cover 194,000 square feet — a treasure trove that could take months to explore fully.

Designed to Align With the Pyramids

The GEM’s architecture pays homage to Egypt’s greatest landmarks. Its triangular design aligns perfectly with the three Great Pyramids of Giza, symbolically connecting past and present. Massive glass walls offer sweeping views of the desert and pyramids, while sunlight floods the interior, creating an atmosphere both spiritual and majestic.

Construction required reshaping the local landscape — workers excavated over 79 million cubic feet of sand to perfect the museum’s pyramid-facing symmetry.