A new attraction in the land of the pyramids
Tarek Sayed Tawfik Ahmed, director-general of the Grand Egyptian Museum
MúzeumCafé 46.
The Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), being constructed in the vicinity of Cairo, is currently the largest museum development project in the world. In the complex, which is devoted to Egyptian civilisation, apart from a permanent exhibition covering an area of 24,000 sq. metres, there will be restorers’ workshops and storerooms, a special museum for children, a conference and educational centre, a library, gardens, cafés and a restaurant. The project, occupying a total of about 50 hectares and situated just a couple of kilometres from the Giza pyramids, got under way in 2005 following an international design competition, the winners of which were announced in 2002. The visual impact of the building, which has been designed by Heneghan Peng Architects of Dublin, changes throughout the day in relation to the intensity of light, thanks to a translucent stone façade. On entering the building visitors will encounter a massive statue of Ramses II. However, the real star of the museum will be Tutankhamen and the treasures of his tomb excavated in 1922 by Howard Carter, some of which have never been exhibited publicly and are currently being cleaned of the wax acquired after being excavated. As a tourist attraction the Grand Egyptian Museum will certainly rival the pyramids in that it will be able to accommodate 15,000 visitors per day. It is estimated that the investment will increase tourism in the area by 30 per cent and create 60,000 new jobs for the country. Tarek Tawfik took over leadership of the challenging project last summer and despite his busy schedule was able to devote some time in September to speak to MúzeumCafé. He said that the special feature of the Grand Egyptian Museum project lies in its comprehensive nature, in addition to its uniqueness. At the same time, it represents a huge challenge and a major issue concerns the funding and management of the museum complex after construction has been completed. Hence, although the official opening is still a long way off, broad-ranging analysis is already underway concerning the running of the museum and its building complex. The Egyptian Museum in Cairo’s Tahrir Square already has a huge collection, of which approximately 150,000 objects are on display in a packed exhibition space in its more than 110-year-old building. The new museum will be in a position to take over some of the artifacts from Tahrir Square. At the same time, it will be able to display new findings, bearing in mind that excavations in Egypt are continuous, regularly unearthing new valuable items. In the centre of the Grand Egyptian Museum there will be a figure with a significant attraction – Tutankhamen, which almost on its own is a guarantee of success. But this is not the only exciting element, since the museum will contain numerous other items of special interest. The museum building itself manifests much innovation, for example in its location, the selection of which was undertaken with great care. From the moment visitors first see the building and approach it, they will feel that they are arriving at a special place. On entering they will be greeted by a massive statue of Ramses II, then a grand staircase leading towards Tutankhamen will provide the opportunity for a breathtaking view of the pyramids. The building complex is due to house 100,000 objects in all. It is currently being restored by the GEM conservation centre and the French Institute for Oriental Archeology. Around half of the 100,000 objects will be displayed in the permanent exhibition, while the other 50,000 will be held in open storage. The Great Egyptian Museum promises to be a ‘must-see’ attraction. Items intended for display will be brought from numerous different places in Egypt, especially from the existing Egyptian Museum, but also from many other places, resulting in a collection previously unseen and one different from what has been found to date in the Tahrir Square museum. The entire Tutankhamen collection will be moved here and only here will it be displayed. At the same time, the Egyptian Museum itself will be transformed to present the great treasures of ancient Egyptian art – statues, stelae, reliefs and paintings. The Tutankhamen collection will form the new museum’s centrepiece. It cannot be presented chronologically, only in its entirety. However, other parts of the permanent exhibition will follow a chronological pattern, ranging from ancient times to the Egypt of the Graeco-Roman era. In effect, the history of Egypt will be presented through objects, and will simultaneously reflect the country’s connections with its neighbours and with world history. Needless to say, the museum will also have a huge space for temporary exhibitions, where thematic displays will be held. Without a doubt, 50,000 items in open storage will offer endless possibilities for the Grand Egyptian Museum to stage different temporary shows.