The Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) is now fully open. Since its grand opening on November 1, 2025, and public opening on November 4, 2025, every gallery welcomes visitors. The complete Tutankhamun collection is on display together for the first time since 1922. The Khufu Solar Boat is also shown in its purpose-built hall. Plan 3 to 4 hours for your visit. Book your timed-entry ticket online in advance. Pair the museum with the Giza Pyramids, just 2 kilometers away, for a perfect Cairo day. In this guide, the Egyptologist team at Egypt Best Vacations covers what you need to plan your visit. It includes highlights, opening hours, how to get there, and insider tips.
Is the Grand Egyptian Museum Fully Open?
Yes. After 20 years of construction, the Grand Egyptian Museum officially opened on November 1, 2025. Before that, it had several soft openings in phases. It opened to the public on November 4, 2025. That date was exactly 103 years after Howard Carter discovered Tutankhamun’s tomb in the Valley of the Kings. As of 2026, all twelve main galleries are open to visitors. The Tutankhamun galleries are also open. The Grand Hall and Grand Staircase are open. The Khufu Solar Boat hall is open. The commercial area and exterior gardens are open.
The GEM is the largest archaeological museum in the world dedicated to a single civilization. Spread across a large site at the edge of the Giza Plateau, it holds over 100,000 artifacts. These artifacts span from prehistory to the Greco-Roman era.
Must-See Highlights at the GEM
The Hanging Obelisk
Your visit begins before you even enter. Outside the main entrance stands the suspended obelisk of Ramses II — the first “hanging obelisk” in the world, raised so visitors can walk beneath it and see the cartouche of Ramses II carved on its base.
The Colossal Statue of Ramses II
Inside the Grand Hall, the 3,200-year-old, 83-ton red granite colossus of Ramses II greets every visitor. The statue stood in Ramses Square in central Cairo until 2018, when it made a carefully engineered journey to its new home. Nearby stands the Victory Column of King Merenptah.
The Grand Staircase
The museum’s signature experience. The staircase rises through four themed levels — the Royal Image, Divine Houses, Gods and Kings, and the Journey to Eternity — lined with statues of kings, gods, sarcophagi, and temple elements. At the top, a floor-to-ceiling glass wall frames a direct view of the Pyramids of Giza: the ancient wonders integrated into the museum itself.
The Tutankhamun Galleries
The heart of the GEM. For the first time in history, the complete treasure collection of Tutankhamun is displayed together in dedicated galleries: the golden mask, the nested shrines, chariots, thrones, jewelry, and thousands of objects that traveled with the young king into the afterlife. Many pieces had never been publicly exhibited before the GEM opened.
The Khufu Solar Boat
The 4,500-year-old cedar ship of King Khufu, discovered buried beside the Great Pyramid in 1954, now rests in its own purpose-built hall — one of the oldest, largest, and best-preserved vessels from antiquity.
The Twelve Main Galleries
Behind the Grand Staircase, twelve chronological galleries tell the full story of ancient Egypt: Galleries 1–3 cover prehistory through the Old Kingdom and First Intermediate Period; Galleries 4–6 the Middle Kingdom and Second Intermediate Period; Galleries 7–9 the New Kingdom; and Galleries 10–12 the Third Intermediate Period through the Greek and Roman eras.
How Long Do You Need at the GEM?
Plan at least 3 to 4 hours to see the main galleries, the Tutankhamun collection, and the Khufu Solar Boat. Dedicated history lovers can easily spend a full day. Most guests visit the museum and the Giza Pyramids in one unforgettable day. The two sites are only 2 kilometers apart. Our day tour to the Giza Pyramids and the Grand Egyptian Museum includes tickets and transport.It also includes an expert Egyptologist guide, so you get the most from both.
Opening Hours & Best Time to Visit
The museum is open daily from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, with extended evening hours until 9:00 PM on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
Best time to visit: arrive right at 9:00 AM opening, or book a Wednesday or Saturday evening session, when the galleries are at their quietest. Tour groups peak from mid-morning to early afternoon. In high season (October to April), the Tutankhamun galleries can reach capacity, so booking your time slot in advance matters.
GEM Tickets in Brief
Grand Egyptian Museum tickets are timed-entry and sold online through the official GEM website (gem.eg). Book your date and time slot in advance and arrive 15–20 minutes early. A single all-inclusive ticket covers all permanent galleries, including the Tutankhamun collection and the Khufu Solar Boat.
Prefer to skip the logistics? Every Egypt Best Vacations tour that includes the GEM comes with entry arranged for you, hotel pickup, and a licensed Egyptologist guide.
Visitor Rules & Practical Tips
Photography: Cameras and selfie sticks are not permitted inside the museum.
Bags: Large bags and luggage must be checked. Travel light.
Food: The commercial area includes cafés and restaurants — a good mid-visit break.
Comfort: The museum is vast. Wear comfortable shoes and carry water.
Accessibility: The museum is wheelchair accessible with ramps and elevators throughout.
How to Get to the GEM
The Grand Egyptian Museum sits on the Cairo–Alexandria Desert Road in Giza, about 2 kilometers from the Pyramids.
Getting There on Your Own
From downtown Cairo:
30–45 minutes by taxi, Uber, or Careem, depending on traffic.
From Giza hotels:
Often 10–20 minutes.
Getting There with an Organized Tour
The easiest way: an organized tour. Egypt Best Vacations offers Cairo day tours with hotel pickup and drop-off, entry arranged, and a private Egyptologist guide — including our Grand Egyptian Museum and Giza Pyramids day tour.
GEM vs the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir
They are two different museums, and both are worth your time. The Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza is the new flagship, home to the complete Tutankhamun collection and the Khufu Solar Boat. The historic Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square — open since 1902 — still displays a rich collection in its atmospheric original halls. The royal mummies, meanwhile, reside at the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization (NMEC) in Fustat. Many of our Cairo itineraries can include two or even all three museums — just ask when you customize your trip.
Plan Your Visit with Egypt Best Vacations
The Grand Egyptian Museum has instantly become one of the world’s great museums — and one of the essential experiences on any trip to Egypt. Whether you explore it on a dedicated day tour or as part of a longer journey through Cairo, Luxor, and the Nile, seeing Tutankhamun’s treasures reunited beneath one roof is a moment you will never forget.
Ready to Visit the Grand Egyptian Museum?
Book a dedicated day tour, explore more of what Cairo has to offer, or talk to our travel experts about building the GEM into your perfect Egypt itinerary.
FAQs About Visiting the Grand Egyptian
Is the Grand Egyptian Museum fully open in 2026?
Yes. The Grand Egyptian Museum held its grand opening on November 1, 2025, and opened fully to the public on November 4, 2025. As of 2026, all twelve main galleries are open, including the complete Tutankhamun collection and the Khufu Solar Boat hall. Egypt Best Vacations offers daily guided tours of the museum with hotel pickup from Cairo and Giza.
How long do you need at the Grand Egyptian Museum?
Plan 3 to 4 hours to see the main galleries, the Tutankhamun collection, and the Khufu Solar Boat comfortably. History enthusiasts can spend a full day. Most Egypt Best Vacations guests combine the GEM with the Giza Pyramids in a single day tour, since the two sites are only about 2 kilometers apart.
What are the must-see highlights at the Grand Egyptian Museum?
The essential highlights are the complete Tutankhamun collection displayed together for the first time in history, the 83-ton colossal statue of Ramses II in the Grand Hall, the Grand Staircase with its view of the Pyramids, the 4,500-year-old Khufu Solar Boat, and the hanging obelisk of Ramses II at the entrance.
Can you see the Pyramids of Giza from inside the Grand Egyptian Museum?
Yes. At the top of the Grand Staircase, a full-height glass wall frames a direct view of the Pyramids of Giza — one of the museum’s signature moments and a favorite photo stop on every Egypt Best Vacations tour of the GEM.
How do you get to the Grand Egyptian Museum from Cairo?
The GEM is on the Cairo–Alexandria Desert Road in Giza, about 2 kilometers from the Pyramids and 30–45 minutes by car from downtown Cairo. You can take a taxi, Uber, or Careem, or book an Egypt Best Vacations day tour with hotel pickup, entry arranged, and a licensed Egyptologist guide.
Is the Grand Egyptian Museum the same as the Egyptian Museum in Cairo?
No. The Grand Egyptian Museum is the new museum in Giza, home to the complete Tutankhamun collection and the Khufu Solar Boat. The Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square is the historic 1902 museum in central Cairo, which still exhibits its own major collection. The royal mummies are displayed at a third museum, the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization (NMEC).