Egyptian Museum

Egypt's national collection of archaeological treasures has been housed in the same place since 1902. Though its current home is in a slightly outlandish, neoclassical building on the edge of Tahrir Square in downtown, a new national museum in Giza is in the works (at the time of writing, there was no sign of new construction, however). Ideally, you should visit the museum repeatedly -- there are 120,000 or so pieces in the collection. Since numerous visits aren't usually possible, I recommend buying a good guidebook; The Illustrated Guide to the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, published in Egypt by the American University Press and available from its bookstore on the other side of the square, is excellent. Also, either find one area of interest to focus on after you've taken a general tour (or skip the tour entirely -- the acoustics in the old building are pretty bad, and if you're in a large group, you're not going to hear much anyway), or just wander until you find yourself lost in some obscure backroom full of dusty but marvelous treasures.

The ground floor is dominated by massive sculptures, while the upper floor has the smaller pieces. On a recent visit, I found myself focusing on the Greco-Roman collection, which occupies a corner of the second floor and includes the Fayum portraits, a collection of a dozen or so hauntingly beautiful death portraits that were painted on coffins by artists in the first few centuries A.D. During other visits, I've spent time in the Daily Life in Egypt section, which has fascinating artifacts from spoons to furniture, and the Tutankhamen exhibit, which features the treasures unearthed by Howard Carter in 1922. Another favorite includes the animal mummy room, which has the best documentation in the museum.

Allow a half-day to do the museum in a reasonably relaxed manner, and bring a bottle of water with you, because there is no cafe inside the museum (but there are decent toilets). There's a cafe on the outside of the main building, but it's nothing of great interest. You must check your camera at the main gate before going in, and make sure the attendant gives you the right bag on the way out (mistakes happen). Don't bother trying to smuggle your camera in; you have to pass through an X-ray check just inside the main building. The museum can get quite full and noisy on holidays, as Egyptians will visit for fun, and if you're traveling alone, you'll certainly be approached frequently for chats.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.

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