Egyptian Museum Cairo: What to See and How to Visit

The Egyptian Museum Cairo stands on the northern side of Tahrir Square. Its collections span from the Predynastic Period to the Graeco-Roman Era, approximately 5500 BC to AD 364, and the museum houses over 170,000 artefacts.

The museum opened in 1902, inaugurated by Khedive Abbas Helmy II. French architect Marcel Dourgnon designed the building after being selected through an international competition in 1895.

Inside, more than 100 display halls occupy two floors. The ground-floor objects are arranged chronologically, while the first-floor displays are arranged by category or collection. A large basement stores objects that are not on display, so the galleries show only part of the museum’s holdings.

Several collections and individual objects offer clear starting points. Look for the complete burials of Yuya and Thuya, the burial of Psusennes I and the treasures of Tanis, and the Narmer Palette. The museum also holds statues of Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure.

The chronological arrangement on the ground floor can help you follow objects across the long span of Egyptian history. Upstairs, the category- or collection-based arrangement offers a different way to approach the holdings. With more than 100 halls across the two floors, choosing a few subjects in advance can help you plan your time.

The museum’s address is Tahrir Square, Cairo, on the square’s northern side. The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities lists the metro as a transport option and Tahrir Parking as the nearest parking.

Sadat, also called Tahrir, is the metro station serving the Egyptian Museum area. It is an interchange for Lines 1 and 2, so you can use either line to reach it.

Opera is another station on Line 2, but Sadat is the station identified with the museum area. For more on routes and stations, see this guide to using the Cairo Metro.

Santana Hotel Cairo is about an 8-minute drive from Cairo city centre.

The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities lists regular opening hours as 9:00 AM–5:00 PM every day, Sunday through Saturday. The ticket window closes at 4:00 PM.

Listed admission prices are EGP 550 for foreign adults and EGP 275 for foreign students; Egyptian adult tickets are EGP 30 and Egyptian student tickets are EGP 10. Audio tours are listed at EGP 75 for foreign visitors and EGP 30 for Egyptian visitors.

Free entry applies to Egyptians aged 60 and over, Egyptians with special needs, orphaned children, children under 6, and government and Al-Azhar primary and preparatory school trips booked in advance through the Rehla platform.

Mobile-phone photography is free, but flash photography is not allowed. Commercial photography or video requires prior permission and payment of a daily rate. A ticket is required to use a camera holder.

Large bags are prohibited, as are food and drinks other than small water bottles. The visitor guidelines also prohibit smoking, pets, sharp or dangerous items, flashlights, laser pointers and megaphones. Staff may inspect IDs, bags, luggage and tickets.

Before you go, check the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities’ official site for current hours, prices and entry rules.

The available visitor information does not give a recommended visit length. The museum’s scale—more than 100 halls on two floors—means it helps to decide which collections or objects matter most to you before entering. The ground floor’s chronological arrangement and the first floor’s category- or collection-based displays give you two ways to structure a visit.

Keep the ticket-window closing time in mind when planning your arrival, particularly if you want time to see exhibits on both floors. If you are using a camera holder, remember that it requires a ticket; mobile-phone photography does not carry a fee, but flash is prohibited.

The museum’s Tahrir Square address makes it a natural starting point for a walk through downtown Cairo. Use this walking guide to Downtown Cairo to plan a route through the surrounding central streets. If you are taking the metro afterward, Sadat connects Lines 1 and 2, while Opera is on Line 2.