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Ancient Egypt Comes Alive

Thousands of items are on display at a new museum that unlocks Egypt’s secrets. 

February 16, 2026
By Cailin Loesch

As You Read, Think About: How can museums help us better understand the past?

Step into the entryway of a new museum. You’ll be greeted by a towering statue of Ramses II, one of the most powerful rulers of ancient Egypt. Next, you’ll move on to rooms filled with colorful coffins, giant wooden boats, and sparkling gemstones. Then you’ll come face-to-face with one of the most famous artifacts in the world: the gold mask of King Tutankhamen (too-tahn-KAH-muhn), better known as King Tut.

Welcome to the Grand Egyptian Museum, which opened this past November in Giza, Egypt. It’s the world’s largest museum dedicated to one civilization. 

Step into a new museum. You’ll be greeted by a giant statue of Ramses II. That’s one of the most powerful rulers of ancient Egypt. Next, you’ll move on to rooms filled with colorful coffins, giant boats, and sparkling gems. Then you’ll come face-to-face with one of the world’s most famous artifacts. It’s the gold mask of King Tutankhamen (too-tahn-KAH-muhn), better known as King Tut.

Welcome to the Grand Egyptian Museum. It opened this past November in Giza, Egypt. It’s the world’s largest museum devoted to one civilization.

Ali Moustafa/Getty Images

This statue of Ramses II is about 3,200 years old and stands roughly 36 feet tall.

Years in the Making

Jim McMahon/Mapman®

The idea for the museum was announced in 1992, but turning it into a reality took decades. Construction finally began in 2005 and wasn’t finished until 2023. The Grand Egyptian Museum covers about 5.4 million square feet—an area larger than 90 football fields. It’s near the Great Pyramid of Giza. 

Building such a massive structure was only one challenge. Another was gathering artifacts to fill it. The museum includes thousands of Egyptian treasures that were collected from other museums in Egypt and around the world. 

Preparing the items to be displayed also took time. Some of the artifacts date back about 8,000 years and were damaged. Experts spent years cleaning and repairing each piece. 

Curators (people who organize museum exhibits) made sure each artifact tells a story about ancient Egyptian life. Moving through the exhibits, visitors can learn about Egyptian gods, everyday life, and how people built pyramids long before modern machines existed.

“It’s not just putting lots of pretty things up,” says Salima Ikram, an expert on ancient Egypt. “It’s what you come away learning from them.” 

The idea for the museum was announced in 1992. But turning it into a reality took decades. Construction began in 2005 and didn’t end until 2023. The Grand Egyptian Museum covers about 5.4 million square feet. That’s an area larger than 90 football fields. It’s near the Great Pyramid of Giza. 

Building such a huge structure was just one challenge. Another was gathering artifacts to fill it. The museum includes thousands of Egyptian treasures. They were collected from other museums in Egypt and around the world. 

Preparing the items for display also took time. Some of the artifacts date back about 8,000 years and were damaged. Experts spent years cleaning and repairing each piece.  

Curators (people who organize museum exhibits) made sure each artifact tells a story about ancient Egyptian life. Moving through the exhibits, visitors can learn about Egyptian gods and about everyday life. They can observe how pyramids were built before modern machines existed.

“It’s not just putting lots of pretty things up,” says Salima Ikram. She’s an expert on ancient Egypt. “It’s what you come away learning from them.”

The Life and Death of the Boy King
Meet an archaeologist and learn how scientists study mummies.

From Tomb to Museum

Even with so much to see, one collection is creating the biggest buzz: the King Tut exhibit. Tut became the pharaoh, or ruler, of Egypt about 3,400 years ago. He was just 8 or 9 years old at the time. Also known as the Boy King, Tut died about a decade later.

Ancient Egyptians preserved Tut’s body as a mummy. Because they believed in life after death, they buried Tut with his belongings—like masks, jewelry, and games—so he could use them in the afterlife.

For centuries, Tut’s tomb remained hidden. In 1922, British archaeologist Howard Carter discovered it in the Valley of the Kings, a royal burial ground near the Nile River. Carter’s team spent 10 years carefully removing every item.

Today only Tut’s mummy remains in his tomb. Everything else, from his clothes to his chariot, is at the Grand Egyptian Museum. More than 5,500 items from Tut’s tomb are on public display together for the first time.

“It gives us a wonderful insight into what a royal tomb should contain,” Ikram explains. “And it tells us about Tut’s life and death.” 

Ikram points out that the museum is home to artifacts that explain everything from gods and rulers to everyday ancient Egyptians. Every visitor can have a unique experience.

“That’s what a museum visit should be, a personal journey of discovery,” says Ikram.

One collection is creating the biggest buzz: the King Tut exhibit. Tut became the pharaoh, or ruler, of Egypt about 3,400 years ago. He was just 8 or 9 years old then. Also known as the Boy King, Tut died about a decade later.

Ancient Egyptians preserved Tut’s body as a mummy. They believed in life after death. They buried Tut with his items—like masks, jewelry, and games—so he could use them in the afterlife.

For centuries, Tut’s tomb was hidden. In 1922, British archaeologist Howard Carter discovered it. It was in the Valley of the Kings. That’s a royal burial ground near the Nile River. Carter’s team spent 10 years carefully removing every item.

Today only Tut’s mummy remains in his tomb. Everything else is at the Grand Egyptian Museum. More than 5,500 items from Tut’s tomb are on display together for the first time. These include his clothes and his chariot. 

“It gives us a wonderful insight into what a royal tomb should contain,” Ikram says. “And it tells us about Tut’s life and death.” 

Ikram says that the museum’s artifacts explain everything from gods and rulers to everyday ancient Egyptians. Each visitor can have a unique experience.

“That’s what a museum visit should be, a personal journey of discovery,” says Ikram.

Treasure Trove

Here’s a look at a few of the more than 100,000 artifacts that can be found in the Grand Egyptian Museum.

Here’s a look at a few of the more than 100,000 artifacts that can be found in the Grand Egyptian Museum.

Shutterstock.com

This small statue is believed to show Horus, an Egyptian god. Often depicted with the head of a falcon, Horus was the god of the sun and the sky.

This small statue is believed to show Horus, an Egyptian god. Often depicted with the head of a falcon, Horus was the god of the sun and the sky.

Business Wire via Getty Images

Among the items buried with King Tut were four miniature versions of the ruler’s coffin. Each held one of Tut’s mummified internal organs (liver, lungs, stomach, or intestines) wrapped in linen.

Among the items buried with King Tut were four miniature versions of the ruler’s coffin. Each held one of Tut’s mummified internal organs (liver, lungs, stomach, or intestines) wrapped in linen.

Berk Ozdemir/Alamy Stock Photo

This statue represents a sphinx—a mythical creature with the body of a lion and the head of a human. The sphinx symbolized strength and wisdom. This one depicts King Amenemhat III.

This statue represents a sphinx—a mythical creature with the body of a lion and the head of a human. The sphinx symbolized strength and wisdom. This one depicts King Amenemhat III.

1. What were some of the challenges involved in creating the Grand Egyptian Museum?

2. What kinds of things can visitors learn about ancient Egyptian civilization by visiting the Grand Egyptian Museum?

3. What does the author mean when she writes that the King Tut exhibit is creating the “biggest buzz”? Why do you think that exhibit is creating such a buzz?

1. What were some of the challenges involved in creating the Grand Egyptian Museum?

2. What kinds of things can visitors learn about ancient Egyptian civilization by visiting the Grand Egyptian Museum?

3. What does the author mean when she writes that the King Tut exhibit is creating the “biggest buzz”? Why do you think that exhibit is creating such a buzz?

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