Make your way upstairs to view
the
museums's top treasure : tomb artifacts of King Tut.
The Egyptian
Museum holds a mind-blowing number of treasures; the two-story
pink-toned building in the center of Cairo exhibits over 120,000
relics from ancient Egypt.
But unless
you know what you're looking for, it's easy to get lost. The "guides"
lining the entrance of the museum are hit-or-miss; you could luck
out with a pedigreed Egyptologist, or get stuck with someone out
for a quick pound who has never studied even the basics of Egyptian
art and history.
Plus, there
aren't any complementary pamphlets or floor plans, and the bookshop's
prices for these items are exorbitant.
My advice
is to do some preliminary research before diving into the museum's
collections.
Getting
around the Egyptian Museum
The ground
floor contains items from the Protodynastic and Archaic Period
(ca.3000-2670 B.C); Old Kingdom (ca.2670-2195 B.C); Middle Kingdom
(ca.2065-1781 B.C); New Kingdom (ca.1550-1075 B.C); Amarna Period
(Religion Revolution Period) (ca.1365 B.C); and Late Period (ca.1075-342
B.C).
The first
floor (second floor for Americans) contains the Ancient Egyptian
Jewelry Room; the Treasure of the Royal Tombs of Tanis (ca.1070-712
B.C.); the Fayum Portraits (ca.100-250 AD); the Tomb of Yuya and
Tuya; and a number of rooms dedicated to deities, writing, daily
life, and other subjects.
The first
floor also contains the two biggest attractions in the museum
- the tomb artifacts of Pharoah Tutankhamun and the royal mummy
collection. These collections are clearly marked and easily accessible.
Front courtyard of the Egyptian Museum, home to King Tutankhamen
and thousands more ancient Egyptian artifacts around every corner.
Tomb Artifacts
of Pharoah Tutankhamun
The 1922 discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun, an Egyptian Pharoah
of the 18th dynasty, was one of the most spectacular archaeological
finds in history. The artifacts from Tutankhamun's tomb are some of
the most recognizable symbols of ancient Egypt. Among the treasures
housed in the Egyptian Museum are the Full-Faced Funeral Mask,
the Gold Coffin, the Winged Scarab, an elaborate gilded throne
and a collection of precious jewelry.
Royal Mummy Room
The Royal Mummy Room contains the mummified remains of 11 pharoahs
and royal family members, expertly-preserved in temperature-controlled
glass units. The room charges an additional fee of 40 L.E. ($7)
for adults and 20 L.E. ($3.50) for children.
Egyptian Museum Basics
Tahrir Square, Cairo
Tel: 5796974
Open daily
from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Admission: 20 L.E. ($3.50) for adults; 10 L.E. ($1.75) for children.