Old Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square: 1902, Hosts Royal Mummies. Located in Tahrir Square in central Cairo Opened in 1902, over 100 years old Commissioned by Khedive Abbas Helmi II
The Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square opened in 1902 (over 100 years ago), commissioned by Khedive Abbas Helmi II and designed by French architect Marcel Dourgnon. It houses the world's oldest collection of Pharaonic art with hundreds of thousands of artifacts, only a fraction on display due to its historic footprint. The famous royal mummies including Ramses II and Seti I were moved in 2021 to the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization in Fustat.
Key Facts
- Located in Tahrir Square in central Cairo
- Opened in 1902, over 100 years old
- Commissioned by Khedive Abbas Helmi II
- Designed by French architect Marcel Dorjon
- Houses hundreds of thousands of artifacts, only fraction on display due to small footprint
- Previously housed most of King Tut's collection
- Features mummies of Ramses II, Seti the First, and others
- Largest collection of mummies wrapped in linen in the world
Related site: Cairo, Egyptian Museum of Antiquities — view location, images, and history on the Ancient Nerds map.
Source: Inside Egypt's New Billion Dollar Museum by Wandering Wolf