The National Museum of Egyptian Civilization, Egypt’s first true museum of civilization; is located on the El-Fustat archaeological site in Old Cairo, overlooking the Ain El-Seera Lake. El Ghazzali Kosseiba, an Egyptian architect, designed the museum. Arata Isozaki, a Japanese architect, is designing the exhibition halls. The NMEC will use a multidisciplinary approach to showcase Egyptian civilization from prehistoric periods to the present day; highlighting the country’s tangible and intangible heritage.
The collections of the Museum will be shown in a core permanent exhibition of Egyptian civilization’s main achievements; with six thematic galleries addressing the Dawn of Civilization; The Nile, Writing, State and Community, Material Culture, Beliefs and Thoughts, and the Gallery of Royal Mummies.
The National Museum of Egyptian Civilization will also feature large temporary exhibition spaces; an auditorium, an education and research center, and an exhibition about Cairo’s modern growth. It will host a variety of events, such as film screenings, conferences, lectures, and cultural activities; and will cater to a wide range of local, national, and worldwide audiences.
THE MUMMIES HALL
The 20 mummies that were brought during the Golden Parade; which was aired across the world, are on exhibit at the NMEC’s Mummies Hall, which was created to feel like a tomb; according to the NMEC’s Managing Executive Director of the Authority, Dr. Ahmed Ghoneim.
For starters; the dimly lit hall is underground, and visitors are asked not to snap photos or make much noise in order to preserve the purity of the exhibit. The atmosphere in the hall is solemn; and seeing the mummies up close helps put the Pharaonic civilization into context; these were ordinary people who created a legacy based on their capacity to develop.
The Museum View
The National Museum of Egyptian Civilization is located in Al Fustat, Egypt’s first capital following Islamic conquest, and overlooks the rare natural lake Ein Al Seera.
It is also close to a number of historic Coptic churches and monasteries; as well as the Coptic museum, the Ibn Ezra Temple, and Egypt’s first mosque, the Amr Ibn Al-Aas mosque. The iconic Saladin Citadel; a well-known tourist site, may also be seen from the museum’s lovely outdoor area.
The NMEC in the Cairo context
The National Museum of Egyptian Civilization plays an important role in raising awareness of modern and contemporary Egyptian history and society, hosting events and momentary displays and exhibitions, and supplying an important center for the country’s youth, as well as being a major attraction for visitors to Egypt and an internationally recognized research and conservation center. It has the potential to become an inclusive organization that facilitates open discourse, debate, and idea exchange.
The National Museum of Egyptian Civilization is receiving technical assistance from UNESCO in the fields of training, exhibition development, and other areas. The project is part of UNESCO’s ongoing efforts to protect and conserve Egypt’s cultural heritage, which began more than half a century ago with the founding of the International Campaign to Save Nubia’s Monuments in 1960. The NMEC will allow a larger number of people to learn about and experience Egyptian civilization in the framework of a modern, twenty-first-century museum than ever before.
