CAIRO, 16th October, 2025 (WAM) - In the final countdown to one of the most anticipated cultural unveilings of the decade, Egypt's Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) will briefly close its doors from 15 October to 3 November 2025. The closure comes as teams carry out final logistical and organisational preparations ahead of the museum's official opening ceremony on 1 November.
Set on the Giza Plateau, just two kilometres from the pyramids, the $1 billion complex has been more than two decades in the making. Spanning 500,000 square metres, it is the largest museum in the world dedicated to a single civilisation. Inside, over 100,000 artefacts trace Egypt's history from the Predynastic Period to the Coptic era, including the entire 5,398-piece collection of Tutankhamun's treasures, displayed together for the first time.
Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouli said on Wednesday, octobor 15, 2025, that the government is conducting near-daily follow-ups on the GEM ahead of its long-awaited inauguration.
Speaking at a press conference following the weekly cabinet meeting, the prime minister added that the government plans to leverage this image in upcoming tourism campaigns, aligned with a national strategy to double tourist arrivals over the next three to four years.
Madbouli said 2025 is expected to see record figures in both tourist numbers and revenues, noting that security conditions are central to sustaining growth in the sector.
Madbouli is scheduled to visit the site on Thursday to review final preparations and ensure that the opening reflects Egypt's stature and ancient legacy.
Describing the museum as a "gift from Egypt to the world," he called it a unique cultural and historical landmark that will play a key role in attracting tourists and boosting revenue.
Madbouli said the GEM is already drawing significant footfall, with current daily visitor numbers surpassing those of many global museums, even before its official opening. He said this bodes well for the expected surge in tourism once the museum is formally inaugurated.
